The role of endogenous versus exogenous sources in the exposome of putative genotoxins and consequences for risk assessment.

The "totality" of the human exposure is conceived to encompass life-associated endogenous and exogenous aggregate exposures. Process-related contaminants (PRCs) are not only formed in foods by heat processing, but also occur endogenously in the organism as physiological components of energy metabolism, potentially also generated by the human microbiome. To arrive at a comprehensive risk assessment, it is necessary to understand the contribution of in vivo background occurrence as compared to the ingestion from exogenous sources.

Association of endocrine active environmental compounds with body mass index and weight loss following bariatric surgery.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to study associations of a wide range of halogenated biphenyls, dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans and diphenylethers with body mass index (BMI) and evaluate changes in their concentration following bariatric surgery.

Methods: Subcutaneous fat, visceral fat and liver tissue samples were collected from 106 patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery for weight loss or patients who were undergoing abdominal surgery for nonbariatric reasons. We measured concentrations of an extensive panel of chlorinated and brominated biphenyls, dioxins, and furans, and brominated diphenylethers in the samples.

The use of adverse outcome pathways in the safety evaluation of food additives.

In the last decade, adverse outcome pathways have been introduced in the fields of toxicology and risk assessment of chemicals as pragmatic tools with broad application potential. While their use in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics sectors has been well documented, their application in the food area remains largely unexplored. In this respect, an expert group of the International Life Sciences Institute Europe has recently explored the use of adverse outcome pathways in the safety evaluation of food additives.

Characterizing the coverage of critical effects relevant in the safety evaluation of food additives by AOPs.

There is considerable interest in adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) as a means of organizing biological and toxicological information to assist in data interpretation and method development. While several chemical sectors have shown considerable progress in applying this approach, this has not been the case in the food sector. In the present study, safety evaluation reports of food additives listed in Annex II of Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 of the European Union were screened to qualitatively and quantitatively characterize toxicity induced in laboratory animals.

The Effect of Phytoestrogen on Thyroid in Subclinical Hypothyroidism: Randomized, Double Blind, Crossover Study.

Soy phytoestrogens are suggested to impair thyroid function but the effects of pharmacological doses of soy phytoestrogens are unknown; therefore, this study was performed to determine the effect of high dose soy phytoestrogens (66 mg) on thyroid function in subclinical hypothyroidism. Randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Forty four patients with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Deoxynivalenol Biomarkers in the Urine of UK Vegetarians.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is produced by and is one of the most commonly occurring trichothecenes. Vegetarians are alleged to be a high-risk group for DON exposure due to high intakes of cereals susceptible to the growth of the mycotoxin. This study provides the levels of DON and de-epoxi Deoxynivalenol (DOM-1) in urine analysed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) in UK vegetarians.

Effect of Soy in Men With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Subclinical Hypogonadism: A Randomized Controlled Study.

Context: Isoflavones found in soy products have a chemical structure similar to estrogen, leading to concerns of an adverse estrogenic effect in men, particularly in those with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who have low testosterone levels due to hypogonadism.

Objective: The primary outcome was change in total testosterone levels. The secondary outcomes were the changes in glycemia and cardiovascular risk markers.

Soy Reduces Bone Turnover Markers in Women During Early Menopause: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Menopausal estrogen loss leads to an increased bone loss. Soy isoflavones can act as selective estrogen receptor modulators, their role in bone turnover is unclear. The primary outcome was assessing changes in plasma bone turnover markers.

Aspartame sensitivity? A double blind randomised crossover study.

Background: Aspartame is a commonly used intense artificial sweetener, being approximately 200 times sweeter than sucrose. There have been concerns over aspartame since approval in the 1980s including a large anecdotal database reporting severe symptoms. The objective of this study was to compare the acute symptom effects of aspartame to a control preparation.

Caffeine intake during pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes: a systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis.

Caffeine is commonly consumed during pregnancy, crosses the placenta, with fetal serum concentrations similar to the mother's, but studies of birth outcome show conflicting findings. We systematically searched Medline and Embase for relevant publications. We conducted meta-analysis of dose-response curves for associations between caffeine intake and spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, preterm delivery, low birth weight and small for gestational age (SGA) infants.

Does equol production determine soy endocrine effects?

Isoflavones, a group of phytoestrogens, are selective oestrogen receptor (ER) modulators. They may positively impact endocrine-related conditions but the current evidence is sparse. Equol, a non-steroidal oestrogen, is produced by the metabolism of the isoflavone daidzein by intestinal bacteria.