Chios Mastic Gum: A Promising Phytotherapeutic for Cardiometabolic Health.

Chios mastic gum (CMG) is a resin obtained from the var. tree that grows in the Mediterranean. For millennia, it has been renowned for its medicinal properties, but recently, CMG has gained attention due to its pronounced anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties and its use in oral health, inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, and risk factors related to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Impact of Amerind ancestry and FADS genetic variation on omega-3 deficiency and cardiometabolic traits in Hispanic populations.

Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) have critical signaling roles that regulate dyslipidemia and inflammation. Genetic variation in the FADS gene cluster accounts for a large portion of interindividual differences in circulating and tissue levels of LC-PUFAs, with the genotypes most strongly predictive of low LC-PUFA levels at strikingly higher frequencies in Amerind ancestry populations. In this study, we examined relationships between genetic ancestry and FADS variation in 1102 Hispanic American participants from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Omega-3 Supplementation and Heart Disease: A Population-Based Diet by Gene Analysis of Clinical Trial Outcomes.

Omega-3 (-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and their metabolites have long been recognized to protect against inflammation-related diseases including heart disease. Recent reports present conflicting evidence on the effects of -3 PUFAs on major cardiovascular events including death. While some studies document that -3 PUFA supplementation reduces the risk for heart disease, others report no beneficial effects on heart disease composite primary outcomes.