Sodium and bone health: impact of moderately high and low salt intakes on calcium metabolism in postmenopausal women.

High salt intake is a well-recognized risk factor for osteoporosis because it induces calciuria, but the effects of salt on calcium metabolism and the potential impact on bone health in postmenopausal women have not been fully characterized. This study investigated adaptive mechanisms in response to changes in salt and calcium intake in postmenopausal women. Eleven women completed a randomized cross-over trial consisting of four successive 5-wk periods of controlled dietary intervention, each separated by a minimum 4-wk washout.

Dietary patterns and heritability of food choice in a UK female twin cohort.

To examine the contribution of genetic factors to food choice, we determined dietary patterns from food frequency questionnaires in 3262 UK female twins aged 18 to 79 years. Five distinct dietary patterns were identified (fruit and vegetable, high alcohol, traditional English, dieting, low meat) that accounted for 22% of the total variance. These patterns are similar to those found in other singleton Western populations, and were related to body mass index, smoking status, physical activity and deprivation scores.

Effect of high-dose iron supplements on fractional zinc absorption and status in pregnant women.

Background: Women have an increased risk of iron deficiency during pregnancy because of the demands of the developing fetus. Iron supplements are commonly advocated as a prophylactic treatment and are generally taken with meals to reduce side effects, but iron can interfere with the absorption of zinc.

Objective: The aim was to determine the effect of consuming an iron supplement (100 mg Fe/d as ferrous gluconate) with meals from 16 wk gestation to term on zinc status and absorption.

Effect of postharvest storage on the expression of the apple allergen Mal d 1.

Consumption of fresh apples can cause allergy in susceptible individuals. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed to determine Mal d 1 levels in apple pulp using a monoclonal antibody (BIP-1). The ELISA was able to rank ten cultivars according to their Mal d 1 content (between 3.

Maturity and storage influence on the apple (Malus domestica) allergen Mal d 3, a nonspecific lipid transfer protein.

Consumption of apples can provoke severe allergic reactions, in susceptible individuals, due to the presence of the allergen Mal d 3, a nonspecific lipid transfer protein, found largely in the fruit skin. Levels of Mal d 3 were determined in peel as a function of apple cultivar, position of the fruit growing on the tree, apple maturity, and postharvest storage by ELISA. As the apples mature, Mal d 3 levels increased, although the rate was dependent on cultivar and tree position.

Impact of menstrual blood loss and diet on iron deficiency among women in the UK.

Women of childbearing age are at risk of Fe deficiency if insufficient dietary Fe is available to replace menstrual and other Fe losses. Haem Fe represents 10-15 % of dietary Fe intake in meat-rich diets but may contribute 40 % of the total absorbed Fe. The aim of the present study was to determine the relative effects of type of diet and menstrual Fe loss on Fe status in women.

Variation in gene expression profiles of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy volunteers.

The normal degree of intra- and interindividual variation in gene transcription profiles of healthy human tissues has not been extensively investigated. In the study described here, microarrays were employed to analyze gene transcription in peripheral blood mononuclear cells prepared from serial blood samples that had been obtained, at weekly intervals, from apparently healthy human volunteers. Transcript levels for the majority of genes examined were found to be remarkably consistent within samples from a single donor.