OBJECTIVE: To gather data and examine the use by elite Olympic athletes of food supplements and pharmaceutical preparations in total and per sport, country, and gender. DESIGN: Survey study. SETTING: Athens 2004 Olympic Games (OG). PARTICIPANTS: Data from 2 sources were collected: athletes' declaration of medications/supplements intake recorded on the ...

AIM: To determine the impact of taste pleasure supplements on modifications of food intake in hospitalized frail elderly patients. METHODS: Thirty hospitalized frail elderly patients tasted different formulas of a high-protein coffee supplement: -supplement C, commercial version; - supplement CA with artificial coffee flavor; - supplement CS with sucrose and ...

Hypercholesterolemia is a predominant risk factor for atherosclerosis and associated coronary and cerebrovascular diseases. Control of cholesterol levels through therapeutic drugs, notably statins, have significantly reduced the risk for developing atherosclerosis and associated cardiovascular diseases. However, adverse effects associated with therapeutic drugs warrant to find other alternative approaches for managing ...

Adequate folate status has an important role in the prevention of chronic and developmental diseases and is considered a potential public health issue. Therefore, valid tools for measuring the vitamin intake are needed. In our previous study a folate food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) designed to measure dietary folate equivalents was ...

The prevalence estimate of neural tube defects in India is restricted to some village clusters and has been reported to be 6.57-8.21 per 1,000 live births, one of the highest in the world. Dietary intake data for folate are scant and do not provide an accurate estimate because of the ...

The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a folate food frequency questionnaire (FFQ)1 designed to measure dietary folate equivalents. The self-administered FFQ containing 39 items and a reference period of 1 month (i.e. the previous month), was validated against three biomarkers: serum and erythrocyte (RBC) folate, ...

Azetidine-2-carboxylic acid (Aze) 1 is a non-protein amino acid present in sugar beets and in table beets (Beta vulgaris). It is readily misincorporated into proteins in place of proline 2 in many species, including humans, and causes numerous toxic effects as well as congenital malformations. Its role in the pathogenesis ...

BACKGROUND: Estimates of dietary folate and vitamin B-12 intakes are currently of considerable interest, but a valid assessment method that is faster than those currently available would better suit everyday health promotion activities. OBJECTIVE: To validate a new assessment technique for estimating folate and vitamin B-12 intakes, known as the ...

Women of childbearing age are advised to consume folic acid-containing supplements. Whether this remains necessary after folic acid fortification of the food supply in North America has yet to be determined. The objectives of this study were to assess folate intakes and the contribution of folic acid to the diets ...

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health-Office of Dietary Supplements and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, is producing Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) for dietary supplements. These and other natural-matrix SRMs should be used in method validation, characterization of in-house quality control ...

Individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU) must follow a lifelong low-phenylalanine (Phe) diet to prevent neurological impairment. Compliance with the low-Phe diet is often poor owing to restriction in natural foods and the requirement for consumption of a Phe-free amino acid formula or medical food. Glycomacropeptide (GMP), a natural protein produced during ...

Ten rye varieties grown in one location were analyzed for their contents of dietary fiber (arabinoxylan and beta-glucan) and phytochemicals (folate, tocols, phenolic acids, alkylresorcinols, and sterols). The varieties included old and modern varieties from five European countries. Significant differences were observed in the contents of all phytochemicals in whole ...

Non-prescription remedies are becoming increasingly popular particularly amongst postmenopausal who in this market are the largest consumers. Phytoestrogens are a large family of plant derived molecules possessing various degrees oestrogen like activity. Food or food supplements containing phytoestrogen are often been advocated as an alternative to hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) ...

Information about folate intake among low-income women of childbearing age remains limited. This report presents results from a cross-sectional study of folate intake and food-related behaviors in a sample of low-income, nonpregnant women of childbearing age in California. One hundred fifty-seven nonpregnant, low-income (<or=185% federal poverty level) women of childbearing ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Acceptability and intake of oral nutritional supplements are often suboptimal, partly because patients dislike flavour, texture or smell. We assessed the taste preferences about milk-based and fruit-juice typed supplements in malnourished in-patients. METHODS: One hundred and nine in-patients requiring oral nutritional support were assigned to consume four ...

A brief historical overview is presented on the development of the science addressing lysine bioavailability in foods. Early observations that dietary protein utilization did not always correlate with gross amino acid composition led to an understanding that the amino acid lysine, in particular, can be easily damaged during food processing. ...

Accurate standardized methods for the determination of amino acid in foods are required to assess the nutritional safety and compositional adequacy of sole source foods such as infant formulas and enteral nutritionals, and protein and amino acid supplements and their hydrolysates, and to assess protein claims of foods. Protein digestibility-corrected ...

Ischemic colitis is a condition that usually occurs in the elderly, as a form of vascular disease. However, ischemic colitis also occurs, though rarely, in healthy young adults. Moreover, food supplements containing Ephedra sinica or ma huang have been linked to adverse central nervous and cardiovascular events. A 40-year-old man ...

To describe the conceptual development of a measure for assessing pharmacist knowledge of herbal and dietary supplements. A standardized approach to constructing a multiple-choice competency examination following 8 pre-specified criteria (eg, specifying the target spectrum of herbal and dietary supplements) was used to create an item bank. The quality of ...

BACKGROUND: The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and A1298C polymorphisms are associated with complex congenital malformations. Whether these polymorphisms are associated with CHDs is not clear. We studied both MTHFR polymorphisms, folate and vitamin B2 by maternal food intake and supplements, and CHD risk. METHODS: A case-control family study was conducted ...

Determining the micronutrient contents infortified foods depends not only on the health goal (additional intake to complement the diet), but also on ensuring that fortification does not raise micronutrient intakes beyond the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), i.e., the safe limit. Technological incompatibility and cost may also restrict the fortification ...

The Chilean Ministry of Health legislated to add folic acid (2.2 mg/100 g) to wheat flour to reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTD), beginning in January 2000. This policy resulted in a significant increase in serum and red blood cell folate in women of childbearing age 1 year ...

Mustard protein isolate (MPI) prepared by steam injection heating for removal of antinutritional factors was used at different levels, including 0%, 2.5%, 5%, and 10%, for supplementation of pasta products. The effects of supplementation levels on rheological properties of pasta dough and chemical composition, and cooking, nutritional, and color characteristics ...

Folate and the metabolically related B-vitamins, vitamin B12 and riboflavin, have attracted much scientific and public health interest in recent years. Apart from a well established role in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs), evidence is emerging to support other potential roles for folate and/or related B-vitamins in protecting against cardiovascular ...

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of the 1998 US Food and Drug Administration folic acid fortification policy on disparities in folate status in the United States. METHODS: We use repeated cross-sectional data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), a nationally ...

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effect of paternal nutrition on aneuploidy in sperm. We investigated the association of normal dietary and supplement intake of folate, zinc and antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene) with the frequency of aneuploidy in human sperm. METHODS: Sperm samples from 89 healthy, non-smoking ...

We observed that Lactobacillus reuteri JCM1112 produces B(12) and folate. However, the folate/B(12) mass ratio found was far below that desired for human consumption ( approximately 170:1). We used metabolic engineering applying genetic and physiological approaches to improve this ratio and developed a generic and natural process that significantly increases ...

We reviewed interventions that affect maternal and child undernutrition and nutrition-related outcomes. These interventions included promotion of breastfeeding; strategies to promote complementary feeding, with or without provision of food supplements; micronutrient interventions; general supportive strategies to improve family and community nutrition; and reduction of disease burden (promotion of handwashing and ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the consumption of flour derivatives and folate-rich food in a sample of women at childbearing age from Porto Alegre, Brazil. METHODS: Four-hundred women at childbearing age (15-45 years) were interviewed, and their socioeconomic status and folate intake were investigated. All women signed an informed consent form. Based ...

PURPOSE: An n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplement was incorporated into three food products previously determined to be preferred by cancer patients, and overall acceptability of these foods was evaluated. METHODS: Preliminary testing was performed; an internal panel determined initial acceptability of foods with the supplement added. Taste panel evaluations ...

INTRODUCTION: While consumption of omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) has been recommended for those at risk of inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, the mechanism of their anti-inflammatory effect remains to be clearly defined, particularly in relation to the dose and type of n-3 LCPUFA. The objective of ...

Folate is a micronutrient essential in a variety of biological processes, and an adequate dietary folate intake seems to play a crucial role in health promotion and disease prevention. The importance of strawberry as a natural food source of folate has been recognised only recently, and few pilot studies have ...

Folate deficiency is a global health problem affecting many people in the developing and developed world. Current interventions (industrial food fortification and supplementation by folic acid pills) are effective if they can be used but might not be possible in less developed countries. Recent advances demonstrate that folate biofortification of ...

BACKGROUND: Many consumers with chronic diseases attempt to take control of their health by using dietary supplements. The objective of this study was to describe current nonvitamin, nonmineral (NVNM) supplement use of HIV-infected persons in the Nutrition for Healthy Living (NFHL) cohort, the financial burden that buying these supplements might ...

Almost anything that is swallowed in pill or potion form that is not a licensed medicine is, by default, legally classified as a dietary supplement. The present paper is an overview of supplement use and is intended to provide a logical framework for their discussion. Five major supplement categories are ...

BACKGROUND: Mandatory folic acid fortification of food is effective in reducing neural tube defects and may even reduce stroke-related mortality, but it remains controversial because of concerns about potential adverse effects. Thus, it is virtually nonexistent in Europe, albeit many countries allow food fortification on a voluntary basis. OBJECTIVE: The ...

OBJECTIVES: This study had two purposes: first, to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to folic acid and birth defects among a convenience sample of postpartum Honduran women; and second, to identify food consumption patterns in this population and determine high-consumption staples for potential folic acid fortification. METHODS: Convenience ...

In 2000 an estimated pound sterling 335 x 106 was spent on food supplements and herbal remedies in the UK. Until recently, The Trades Description Act 1968, the Food Safety Act 1990 and The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (amended 2004) were the only form of regulation available to protect the ...

Within the last decade there has been a dramatic increase in the sale and use of herbal supplements and food supplements by Western populations and within the UK. This increased usage has coincided with a resurgence of interest in nutritional therapy and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, such as ...

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Folic acid mediates transfer of one-carbon units into methionine and DNA-thymine biosynthesis. Discretionary and mandatory use of synthetic folic acid (SFA) to reduce spina bifida is on the increase. We show that historically, the seasonal cycle of abundance of folate-rich foods may have regulated embryo viability by acting as ...

Elevated total homocysteine (tHcy), a risk factor for many chronic diseases, can be remethylated to methionine by folate. Alternatively, tHcy can be metabolized by other 1-carbon nutrients, ie, betaine and its precursor, choline. We aimed to assess the association between the dietary intakes of betaine and choline and the concentration ...

BACKGROUND: In response to the proposal that mandatory fortification be introduced in Australia to reduce the incidence of NTDs, the purpose of this study was to establish, for the adult community, baseline data on knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards the fortification of foods with folic acid. METHODS: A cross-sectional, Computer ...

Coenzyme Q(10) (CoQ(10)) has been widely commercially available in Japan as a dietary and health supplement since 2001 and is used for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases induced by free radicals and aging. We evaluated CoQ(10) supplements to ensure that these supplements can be used effectively and safely. Commercially available ...

OBJECTIVES: The introduction of voluntary fortification of some foods with folic acid in Australia has been implemented since evidence of the prevention of neural tube defects with periconceptional folic acid was published. Our objectives were to determine how many women were aware of folate and when they became aware, what ...

Relative bioefficacy and toxicity of Met precursor compounds were investigated in young chicks. The effectiveness of DL-Met and 2-keto-4-(methylthio)butyric acid (Keto-Met) to serve as L-Met precursors was quantified using Met-deficient diets of differing composition. Efficacy was based on slope-ratio and standard-curve methodology. Using L-Met as a standard Met source added ...

A 42-year-old woman presented with blue lunulae in association with argyria and hypercopprecaemia. The argyria was caused by the regular ingestion of colloidal silver in water over an extended period of time. The raised copper may have contributed to the nail discolouration, and was believed to be due either to ...

OBJECTIVE: To create a general framework for the simulation of intakes from mandatory or voluntary fortification, which will make outcomes of simulation studies more comparable and give insight on uncertainties. DESIGN: A general framework was developed based on methods used in already published case studies of mandatory fortification. The framework ...

Glycomacropeptide (GMP) is a whey protein that contains no aromatic amino acids including phenylalanine (phe). The objective of this study was to make a variety of palatable, low-phe foods and beverages with GMP and to assess their acceptability by conducting consumer sensory studies in individuals with PKU. Results demonstrate acceptability ...

BACKGROUND: In 1998, folic acid fortification of a large variety of cereal products became mandatory in Canada, a country where the prevalence of neural-tube defects was historically higher in the eastern provinces than in the western provinces. We assessed changes in the prevalence of neural-tube defects in Canada before and ...

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was used to evaluate and optimize the strategy for collecting mouse urine samples. A series of normal urine samples and those mixed with folate-deficient food, turkey or mouse fecal particles were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA). The metabolic profile of urine mixed with folate-deficient ...