Changes in micronutrient and inflammation serum biomarker concentrations after a norovirus human challenge.

Background: To accurately assess micronutrient status, it is necessary to characterize the effects of inflammation and the acute-phase response on nutrient biomarkers.

Objective: Within a norovirus human challenge study, we aimed to model the inflammatory response of C-reactive protein (CRP) and α-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) by infection status, model kinetics of micronutrient biomarkers by inflammation status, and evaluate associations between inflammation and micronutrient biomarkers from 0 to 35 d post-norovirus exposure.

Methods: Fifty-two healthy adults were enrolled into challenge studies in a hospital setting and followed longitudinally; all were exposed to norovirus, half were infected.

Is Iron Supplementation Influenced by Sub-Clinical Inflammation?: A Randomized Controlled Trial Among Adolescent Schoolgirls in Myanmar.

Iron absorption was impaired in the presence of sub-clinical inflammation (SCI) and might hamper the effect of iron supplementation. The purpose of the study was to identify the influence of SCI on iron supplementation. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled experimental study was conducted among anaemic adolescent schoolgirls in Ayeyarwady region, Myanmar.

Approaches to Assess Vitamin A Status in Settings of Inflammation: Biomarkers Reflecting Inflammation and Nutritional Determinants of Anemia (BRINDA) Project.

The accurate estimation of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is critical to informing programmatic and policy decisions that could have important public health implications. However, serum retinol and retinol binding protein (RBP) concentrations, two biomarkers often used to estimate VAD, are temporarily altered during the acute phase response, potentially overestimating the prevalence of VAD in populations with high levels of inflammation. In 22 nationally-representative surveys, we examined (1) the association between C-reactive protein (CRP) or α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) and retinol or RBP, and (2) how different adjustment approaches for correcting for inflammation compare with one another.

Serum and macular response to carotenoid-enriched egg supplementation in human subjects: the Egg Xanthophyll Intervention clinical Trial (EXIT).

The macular carotenoids lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z) and meso-zeaxanthin (MZ) accumulate at the macula, where they are collectively referred to as macular pigment (MP). Augmentation of this pigment, typically achieved through diet and supplementation, enhances visual function and protects against progression of age-related macular degeneration. However, it is known that eggs are a rich dietary source of L and Z, in a highly bioavailable matrix.

Inflammation and biomarkers of micronutrient status.

Purpose Of Review: Investigations to discover new biomarkers of nutrition highlighted the fact that inflammation and infection were cross-cutting issues complicating interpretation of status. Collaborative groups of nutritionists, immunologists, clinicians and statisticians were set up to investigate the issues, and some are now reporting their findings.

Recent Findings: Recent work on the vitamins A, D, E and C and the elements iron, zinc and selenium are reported in this review.

Folate and vitamin B12 status and dietary intake of anaemic adolescent schoolgirls in the delta region of Myanmar.

The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of deficiency of folate and vitamin B12 and, simultaneously, the nutrient intake adequacy of folate, vitamin B12, iron, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and calcium in 391 adolescent anaemic (Hb<120 g/l) schoolgirls living in the delta region of Myanmar (Burma). Dietary intakes were assessed using a 3 d estimated food record. The distribution of observed intakes calculated from the food records were adjusted for usual intakes, and the prevalence of inadequacy was estimated using the estimated average requirement cut-point method.

Inflammation and Vitamin A.

Background: Serum retinol concentrations are homeostatically controlled and only fall when liver stores of vitamin A are very low. Nevertheless, low concentrations of serum retinol occur in apparently healthy people where there is no evidence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD).

Objective: To determine the reason for low serum vitamin A concentrations where there is no VAD.

The use of adjustment factors to address the impact of inflammation on vitamin A and iron status in humans.

Many nutrient biomarkers are altered by inflammation. We calculated adjustment factors for retinol and ferritin by using meta-analyses of studies containing the respective biomarker and 2 acute phase proteins in serum, C-reactive protein (CRP), and α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP). With the use of CRP and AGP we identified 4 groups in each study: reference (CRP ≤5 mg/L, AGP ≤1 g/L), incubation (CRP >5 mg/L, AGP ≤1 g/L), early convalescence (CRP >5 mg/L, AGP >1 g/L), and late convalescence (CRP ≤5 mg/L, AGP >1 g/L).

Verification of -Zeaxanthin in Fish.

Background/objectives: The carotenoids lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z), and -zeaxanthin (MZ) accumulate in the central retina (the macula), where they are collectively known as macular pigment (MP). MP has been shown to enhance visual function in both diseased and non-diseased retinae, and therefore an understanding and confirmation of, the origins of these carotenoids is needed. Studies have shown that L and Z are present in many foodstuffs found in a typical Western diet (e.

The impact of supplemental macular carotenoids in Alzheimer's disease: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) exhibit significantly less macular pigment (MP) and poorer vision when compared to control subjects.

Objective: To investigate supplementation with the macular carotenoids on MP, vision, and cognitive function in patients with AD versus controls.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind clinical trial with placebo and active arms.

Macular response to supplementation with differing xanthophyll formulations in subjects with and without age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose: Our aim was to investigate the macular response to three different supplements containing lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z) and meso-zeaxanthin (MZ) in normal subjects and those with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Materials And Methods: Macular pigment optical density (MPOD) and serum xanthophyll concentrations were measured in normal (n = 31) and AMD subjects (n = 32), randomly assigned to: group 1 (20 mg L, 2 mg Z, 0.3 mg MZ), group 2 (10 mg L, 2 mg Z, 10 mg MZ) or group 3 (3 mg L, 2 mg Z, 17 mg MZ).

Hepcidin profile of anemic adolescent schoolgirls in Indonesia at the end of 12 weeks of iron supplementation.

Background: Iron deficiency is still the major nutritional problem in the developing world, and iron supplementation remains one of the most effective intervention strategies. Hepcidin, a newly discovered iron regulatory hormone, is an acute phase protein, and its role in iron supplementation has not been well explored.

Objective: To investigate the hepcidin profiles of anemic adolescent girls who had received weekly iron supplementation.

Macular pigment, visual function, and macular disease among subjects with Alzheimer's disease: an exploratory study.

Background: The macula (central retina) contains a yellow pigment, comprising the dietary carotenoids lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z), and meso-zeaxanthin, known as macular pigment (MP). The concentrations of MP's constituent carotenoids in retina and brain tissue correlate, and there is a biologically-plausible rationale, supported by emerging evidence, that MP's constituent carotenoids are also important for cognitive function.

Objective: To investigate if patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) are comparable to controls in terms of MP and visual function.

Interactions between nutrition and immune function: using inflammation biomarkers to interpret micronutrient status.

The immune response promotes a complex series of reactions by the host in an effort to prevent ongoing tissue damage, isolate and destroy the infective organism and activate the repair processes that are necessary for restoring normal function. The homoeostatic process is known as inflammation and the early set of reactions that are induced are known as the acute phase response (APR). The APR has marked effects on the circulation, metabolism in the liver and the plasma concentration of many nutrients.

The influence of vitamin A status on iron-deficiency anaemia in anaemic adolescent schoolgirls in Myanmar.

Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate reasons for the high prevalence of anaemia among adolescent schoolgirls and to elucidate the role of vitamin A in contributing to Fe-deficiency anaemia (IDA).

Design: Among 1269 schoolgirls who were previously screened for anaemia (Hb < 120 g/l), 391 anaemic girls were further assessed for Fe, vitamin A and subclinical inflammation status. Fe and vitamin A indicators were corrected for inflammation and were compared in the Fe-deficient and non-deficient groups as well as between those with and without inflammation.

Studies on meso-zeaxanthin for potential toxicity and mutagenicity.

The purpose of these studies was to examine the potential toxicity and genotoxicity of meso-zeaxanthin (MZ). Toxicity was assessed by administering MZ daily to rats for 13 weeks followed by a 4-week recovery period. Potential genotoxicity was assessed in separate experiments using the Ames test method.

Impact of inflammation on the biomarkers of iron status in a cross-sectional survey of Lao women and children.

Anaemia is prevalent in South East Asia and Fe deficiency (ID) is considered to be the main cause, but the role of subclinical inflammation in the aetiology is uncertain. In the present study, we determined the influence of inflammation on the biomarkers of Fe status in women and children, and herein, we discuss the proportion of anaemia associated with ID. As part of the 2006 Lao People's Democratic Republic (The Lao PDR) National Nutrition Survey, blood collected from 482 young children and 816 non-pregnant women was analysed.

Biomarkers for the differentiation of anemia and their clinical usefulness.

The World Health Organization defines anemia as the point at which the amount of hemoglobin in the circulation falls below World Health Organization cutoffs for specific age and sex groups. Anemia is a worldwide problem of complex etiology and is associated with many factors. The purpose of this review was to describe the biomarkers used to identify the nature of anemia in patients and in the community.

Serum response to supplemental macular carotenoids in subjects with and without age-related macular degeneration.

Macular pigment (MP) is composed of lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z) and meso-zeaxanthin (MZ). The present study reports on serum response to three different MP supplements in normal subjects (n 27) and in subjects with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) (n 27). Subjects were randomly assigned to: Group 1 (20 mg L and 2 mg Z), Group 2 (10 mg L, 2 mg Z and 10 mg MZ) or Group 3 (3 mg L, 2 mg Z and 17 mg MZ).

Microcytic anaemia predominates in adolescent school girls in the delta region of Myanmar.

Objective: Anaemia is one of major nutritional problems in Myanmar affecting all age groups. However, there is lack of recent information and a study was conducted to acquire information on the current status of anaemia among adolescent schoolgirls in Nyaung Done township, Ayeyarwady division where an intervention study was planned.

Subjects And Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 1269 subjects to obtain complete blood count, anthropometry and socioeconomic characteristics were obtained by questionnaire.

A retrospective investigation of thiamin and energy intakes following an outbreak of beriberi in The Gambia.

In the early part of the rainy season in 1988, an outbreak of beriberi occurred in free-living adults in a relatively small area in the North Bank region of The Gambia. In 1995 we selected two compounds in a village called Chilla situated within the affected district to retrospectively examine dietary factors potentially contributing to the outbreak. There had previously been cases of beriberi in one compound (BBC) but not in the other (NBC).