Publications by authors named "Denise M O'Gorman"

It is generally accepted that mineral deficiencies, including magnesium and calcium, are widespread globally. Dietary supplementation may be an effective approach to combat such deficiencies. However, challenges associated with limited mineral solubility in the digestive system can impede effective dissolution and hinder absorption, leading to deficiency, and undesirable gastrointestinal disturbances including diarrhoea.

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Modern advances in molecular medicine have led to the reframing of osteoarthritis as a metabolically active, inflammatory disorder with local and systemic contributing factors. According to the 'inflammatory theory' of osteoarthritis, immune response to an initial damage is the key trigger that leads to progressive joint destruction. Several intertwined pathways are known to induce and govern articular inflammation, cartilage matrix degradation, and subchondral bone changes.

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Middle age is increasingly accepted as a key period during which individuals are susceptible to the effect of environmental and lifestyle factors. Emerging research indicates that dietary factors play a crucial role in brain health and cognitive function, and studies in both animals and humans have demonstrated that dietary interventions can mitigate cognitive impairment. Specifically, magnesium has been shown to enhance learning and memory, and magnesium deficiency is associated with impaired hippocampal-dependent memory formation in animal studies.

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Aquamin is a calcium-rich multi-mineral supplement derived from the red marine algae, species. Calcium supplementation has been shown to exert a prebiotic-like effect on the gut microbiota and has been associated with distinct changes in lactate and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) subtype is associated with changes in SCFA levels compared with healthy controls.

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Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in a range of key biochemical pathways. Several magnesium supplements are present on the market and their degree of bioavailability differs depending on the form of magnesium salt used. Aquamin-Mg is a natural source of magnesium, containing 72 additional trace minerals derived from the clean waters off the Irish coast.

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Accumulating evidence demonstrates that dietary supplementation with functional food ingredients play a role in systemic and brain health as well as in healthy ageing. Conversely, deficiencies in calcium and magnesium as a result of the increasing prevalence of a high fat/high sugar "Western diet" have been associated with health problems such as obesity, inflammatory bowel diseases, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as metabolic, immune, and psychiatric disorders. It is now recognized that modulating the diversity of gut microbiota, the population of intestinal bacteria, through dietary intervention can significantly impact upon gut health as well as systemic and brain health.

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Calcium supplements are used as an aid in the prevention of osteopenia and osteoporosis and also for the treatment of patients when used along with medication. Many of these supplements are calcium carbonate based. This study compared a calcium-rich, marine multi-mineral complex (Aquamin) to calcium carbonate in an ovariectomised rat model of osteoporosis in order to assess Aquamin's efficacy in preventing the onset of bone loss.

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Aquamin is a commercially-available supplement derived from the algae species Lithothamnion, which has proven osteogenic potential. By harnessing this potential and combining Aquamin with a collagen scaffold, with architecture and composition optimised for bone repair, the aim of this study was to develop a natural osteo-stimulative bone graft substitute. A fabrication process was developed to incorporate Aquamin into scaffolds to produce collagen-Aquamin (CollAqua) scaffolds at two different Aquamin concentrations, 100F or 500F (equivalent weight% of collagen or five times the weight of collagen respectively).

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A high dietary intake of polyphenols has been associated with a decreased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, attributed in part to their antioxidant activity and pro-apoptotic effects. Aquamin is a multi-mineral algal extract that enhances bone mineralization, relieves osteoarthritis, and aids digestion; however, Aquamin has not demonstrated antioxidant activity. In the present study, Aquamin was supplemented with 8% Enzogenol, a pine bark extract with a high phenolic content, and 2% Sunphenon, a green tea extract that also has a high phenolic content to produce a mixed product (A:E:S).

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It is well established that nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) is a central regulator of the immune response and that dysregulation of NF-κB contributes to the pathogenesis of many autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The food supplement Aquamin is a natural multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals. This study describes an anti-inflammatory role for Aquamin in inhibiting NF-κB activation through reducing the phosphorylation and degradation of its upstream inhibitor IκBα.

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Osteoporosis is a global health problem characterized by low bone mass and an increase in bone fragility. It is now well accepted that dietary factors play a central role in bone development and health. Diet that lacks adequate minerals is considered to be a risk factor for osteoporosis.

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It is well established that neuroinflammation contributes to brain aging, and that cortical cells are particularly vulnerable. Lipopolysaccharide stimulates the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta from glial cells which consequently induces an impairment in neuronal cell function. The food supplement, Aquamin, is a natural, multi-mineral derived from the red algae Lithothamnion corallioides, rich in calcium, magnesium and 72 other trace minerals.

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