Modified Intermittent Fasting in Psoriasis (MANGO) trial: a two-arm pilot randomized controlled open cross-over study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynda Grine ◽  
Niels Hilhorst ◽  
Nathalie Michels ◽  
Souheila Abbedou ◽  
Stefaan De Henauw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complex Disease ◽  
Intermittent Fasting ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Metabolic Markers ◽  
Regular Diet ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
General Quality ◽  
Randomized Control ◽  
Psoriasis Severity

BACKGROUND Psoriasis is a complex disease associated with multiple comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome and leaky gut syndrome. Dietary lifestyle interventions have been reported to affect the disease in terms of lesional severity. It remains unclear how diets affect these comorbidities and the general health in psoriasis patients. Modified Intermittent Fasting (MIF) on 2 non-consecutive days has shown beneficial effects on metabolic parameters. A significant advantage of MIF over the currently investigated dietary changes is its feasibility. OBJECTIVE Here, we aim to study the effects of MIF on skin, gut and metabolic health in psoriasis patients. METHODS A two-arm pilot prospective cross-over randomized control trial (RCT) will be performed in 20 patients with psoriasis as a pilot study. Patients will be randomized 1:1 to either start with MIF and subsequent regular diet for 12 weeks each or to start with regular diet and subsequent MIF for 12 weeks each. The following parameters will be assessed: demographics, disease phenotype, medical and familial history, psoriasis severity, dermatology-specific and general quality of life, nutritional and physical habits, mental and intestinal health, intestinal and cutaneous integrity, inflammatory and metabolic markers, and satisfaction. RESULTS The aim is to uncover the effects of MIF on psoriasis severity and gut health integrity through clinical and molecular investigation. More precisely, we want to map the evolution of the different markers in response to MIF as compared to the regular diet, such as psoriasis severity, permeability and inflammation. CONCLUSIONS Understanding how dietary lifestyles can affect epithelial lineages such as the skin and gut, will greatly improve our understanding on the development of psoriasis and may pose a non-pharmacological venue for treatments. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04418791. Registered June 5 2020, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04418791. Current protocol date/version: May 20 2020

scholarly journals Intermittent fasting - a potential approach to modulate the gut microbiota in humans? A systematic review

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Kate Llewellyn-Waters ◽  
Mohammad M. Abdullah
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Intermittent Fasting ◽  
Gut Health ◽  
Medline Search ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
The Rich ◽  
The Impact

Research on gut microbiota has increased in popularity over the past decade, with evidence associating different dietary habits with changes in the makeup of the rich ecosystem of microorganisms that performs a variety of functions and induces a range of health effects, within and well beyond the gastrointestinal tract. Similarly, intermittent fasting (IF), an umbrella term describing various regimens of periods of voluntary abstinence from food and drink, has classically been associated with favourable impacts on cardiovascular risk factors, body weight, circadian biology, and, more recently, the gut health..The objective of this PRISMA systematic review was to summarize the peer-reviewed literature of clinical trials related to the impact of IF regimens on the gut microbiota. A MEDLINE search was conducted using PubMed and the keywords “intermittent fasting”, “gut microbiota”, “microbes”, and others. Whilst the field is still in its infancy, an emerging body of evidence suggests beneficial effects of IF on the health of the gut through increasing the microbial diversity and abundance, with possible clinical implications related to improving the immune function and ameliorating the metabolic status. Further research in larger clinical trials is warranted before practical recommendations for the public health can be made.

scholarly journals Intermittent Fasting and the Possible Benefits in Obesity, Diabetes, and Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review of Randomized Clinical Trials

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 3179
Author(s):  
María Morales-Suarez-Varela ◽  
Ester Collado Sánchez ◽  
Isabel Peraita-Costa ◽  
Agustín Llopis-Morales ◽  
José M. Soriano
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Intermittent Fasting ◽  
Scientific Quality ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Intermittent fasting has become popular in recent years and is controversially presented as a possible therapeutic adjunct. A bibliographic review of the literature on intermittent fasting and obesity, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis was carried out. The scientific quality of the methodology and the results obtained were evaluated in pairs. Intermittent fasting has beneficial effects on the lipid profile, and it is associated with weight loss and a modification of the distribution of abdominal fat in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as an improvement in the control of glycemic levels. In patients with multiple sclerosis, the data available are too scarce to draw any firm conclusions, but it does appear that intermittent fasting may be a safe and feasible intervention. However, it is necessary to continue investigating its long-term effects since so far, the studies carried out are small and of short duration.

Psychological and Cognitive Aspects of Borderline Intellectual Functioning

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bastianina Contena ◽  
Stefano Taddei
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Intellectual Functioning ◽  
Clinical Impact ◽  
Review Of The Literature ◽  
Borderline Intellectual Functioning ◽  
General Quality ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Over Time

Abstract. Borderline Intellectual Functioning (BIF) refers to a global IQ ranging from 71 to 84, and it represents a condition of clinical attention for its association with other disorders and its influence on the outcomes of treatments and, in general, quality of life and adaptation. Furthermore, its definition has changed over time causing a relevant clinical impact. For this reason, a systematic review of the literature on this topic can promote an understanding of what has been studied, and can differentiate what is currently attributable to BIF from that which cannot be associated with this kind of intellectual functioning. Using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, we have conducted a review of the literature about BIF. The results suggest that this condition is still associated with mental retardation, and only a few studies have focused specifically on this condition.

Quality of Life and Mental Health of Infertile Women Affected by Endometriosis: A Narrative Review

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-244
Author(s):  
Cristina Zarbo ◽  
Agostino Brugnera ◽  
Rita Secomandi ◽  
Ilario Candeloro ◽  
Chiara Malandrino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Narrative Review ◽  
Stress Perception ◽  
Infertile Women ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Treatment ◽  
General Quality ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Test Outcomes

Objective: Infertility has a severe impact on quality of life and mental health. This condition could be exacerbated by the existence of comorbid medical disease, like endometriosis. The aim of this critical narrative review is the examination of the state of the art about the quality of life and mental health in infertile women with endometriosis. Methods: We performed a rigorous and systematic search for studies on multiple electronic databases. A total of 6 papers were included in the review and were subjected to interpretative and critical narrative synthesis. Results and Discussion: Major findings are resumed in the following points: (a) infertile women with endometriosis when compared to infertile ones without endometriosis show higher depression, stress perception, and anxiety, and lower general quality of life; (b) quality of life specifically related to infertility is similar among women with and without endometriosis and seems to be related to personality and beliefs factors; (c) giving birth to a child is related to better mental quality of life; (d) during assisted reproductive treatment (ART) stimulation, infertile women with endometriosis have a decrease of dysmenorrhea and dyspareunia; (e) satisfaction of ART is related to the number of attempts, treatment accomplishment and pregnancy test outcomes. Clinical implications of these findings and suggestions for future researches were discussed. Conclusion: Concluding, it is crucial to assess the psychological factors related to endometriosis and infertility to reduce the impact of these diseases on quality of life and mental health, provide adequate support to these patients, improve their satisfaction and increase the change to get pregnant.

Review of Constipation Treatment Methods with Emphasis on Laxative Foods

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 675-688
Author(s):  
Shamsi Abbasalizadeh ◽  
Behzad Ebrahimi ◽  
Aslan Azizi ◽  
Rogaye Dargahi ◽  
Maryam Tayebali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Lifestyle Factor ◽  
Flax Seed ◽  
Lifestyle Modifications ◽  
Food Ingredients ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Daily Exercise

Constipation is a common public health concern experienced by all individuals during their life affecting the quality of life. In this paper, we aimed to provide an overview of the existing evidence regarding the role of food ingredients, including bran, prune, fig, kiwifruit, and flax-seed in constipation treatment. We searched Scopus, Pub Med, and Science Direct by using the keywords, “laxative foods” and “constipation”, for searching studies assessing laxative food ingredients and their beneficial effects on constipation treatment and/or control. Lifestyle modifications such as increasing dietary fiber and fluid intake and daily exercise are the proposed first line treatments for constipation. Optimizing ‘diet’ as an efficient lifestyle factor may contribute to the well-being of patients. The use of laxative food ingredients including bran, prune, fig, kiwifruit, flax-seed, probiotics, and prebiotics is a convenient alternative to cope with constipation. According to previous findings, laxative food ingredients could be considered as effective treatments for subjects suffering from constipation. Many studies have assessed the pharmacological and non-pharmacological roles of these ingredients in treating constipation, however, their importance has not been thoroughly investigated.

scholarly journals Effects of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Supplementation in the Prevention and Treatment of Depressive Disorders—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1070
Author(s):  
Maike Wolters ◽  
Annkathrin von der Haar ◽  
Ann-Kristin Baalmann ◽  
Maike Wellbrock ◽  
Thomas L. Heise ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Treatment Duration ◽  
Depressive Disorders ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Pufa Supplementation ◽  
Depressive Symptomology ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Significant Difference

N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been suggested to affect depressive disorders. This review aims to determine the effect of n-3 PUFAs on depressive symptoms in people with or without diagnosed depression. Medline, PsycINFO, and Cochrane CENTRAL databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the association between n-3 PUFAs and depressive symptoms or disorders as outcomes. A random-effects meta-analysis of standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was performed. Twenty-five studies (7682 participants) were included. Our meta-analysis (20 studies) indicated that n-3 PUFA supplementation lowered depressive symptomology as compared with placebo: SMD = −0.34, 95% CI: −0.55, −0.12, I2 = 86%, n = 5836, but a possible publication bias cannot be ruled out. Subgroup analyses indicated no statistically significant difference by treatment duration of <12 vs. ≥12 weeks, presence of comorbidity, or severity of depressive symptoms. Nevertheless, beneficial effects were seen in the subgroups of studies with longer treatment duration and with no depression and mild to moderate depression. Subgroup analysis by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) dosage revealed differences in favor of the lower EPA dosage. Sensitivity analysis including studies with low risk of bias seems to confirm the overall result. Supplementation of n-3 PUFA appears to have a modest beneficial effect on depressive symptomology, although the quality of evidence is still insufficient.

scholarly journals N-acetyl-L-cysteine Improves the Developmental Competence of Bovine Oocytes and Embryos Cultured In Vitro by Attenuating Oxidative Damage and Apoptosis

Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 860
Author(s):  
Wu-Sheng Sun ◽  
Hoon Jang ◽  
Mi-Ryung Park ◽  
Keon Bong Oh ◽  
Haesun Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Developmental Competence ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Developmental Rates ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Bovine Oocytes ◽  
Dose Dependent

Oxidative stress has been suggested to negatively affect oocyte and embryo quality and developmental competence, resulting in failure to reach full term. In this study, we investigated the effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a cell-permeating antioxidant, on developmental competence and the quality of oocytes and embryos upon supplementation (0.1–10 mM) in maturation and culture medium in vitro using slaughterhouse-derived oocytes and embryos. The results show that treating oocytes with 1.0 mM NAC for 8 h during in vitro maturation attenuated the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) (p < 0.05) and upregulated intracellular glutathione levels (p < 0.01) in oocytes. Interestingly, we found that NAC affects early embryonic development, not only in a dose-dependent, but also in a stage-specific, manner. Significantly (p < 0.05) decreased cleavage rates (90.25% vs. 81.46%) were observed during the early stage (days 0–2), while significantly (p < 0.05) increased developmental rates (38.20% vs. 44.46%) were observed during the later stage (from day 3) of embryonic development. In particular, NAC supplementation decreased the proportion of apoptotic blastomeres significantly (p < 0.05), resulting in enhanced hatching capability and developmental rates during the in vitro culture of embryos. Taken together, our results suggest that NAC supplementation has beneficial effects on bovine oocytes and embryos through the prevention of apoptosis and the elimination of oxygen free radicals during maturation and culture in vitro.

scholarly journals Have Lifestyle Habits and Psychological Well-Being Changed among Adolescents and Medical Students Due to COVID-19 Lockdown in Croatia?

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Ružica Dragun ◽  
Nikolina Nika Veček ◽  
Mario Marendić ◽  
Ajka Pribisalić ◽  
Gabrijela Đivić ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lifestyle Medicine ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Mobile Phone Use ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Objective: To investigate dietary habits, sleep and psychological well-being of adolescents and medical students during COVID-19 lockdown in Split, Croatia. Methods: We surveyed 1326 students during 2018 and 2019, and compared their responses with 531 students enrolled in May 2020. Perceived stress, quality of life (QoL), happiness, anxiety, and optimism were assessed as proxies of psychological well-being, using general linear modelling. Results: We found no substantial differences in dietary pattern between pre-lockdown and lockdown periods, including the overall Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence. However, the MD pattern changed, showing increased adherence to the MD pyramid for fruit, legumes, fish, and sweets, while cereals, nuts, and dairy intake decreased during COVID-19 lockdown. A third of students reported weight loss during lockdown, 19% reported weight gain, while physical activity remained rather stable. The most prominent change was feeling refreshed after a night’s sleep, reported by 31.5% of students during lockdown vs. 8.5% before; median length of sleep duration increased by 1.5 h. Lockdown significantly affected QoL, happiness, optimism (all p < 0.001), and perceived stress in students (p = 0.005). MD adherence was positively correlated with QoL and study time, and negatively with TV and mobile phone use in pre-lockdown period (all p < 0.001). Interestingly, higher MD adherence was correlated with less perceived hardship and greater happiness and QoL during lockdown. Conclusion: These insights provide valuable information for tailored interventions aimed at maintaining healthy lifestyle in young population. Given the numerous beneficial effects associated with MD adherence, modification of lifestyle through application of lifestyle medicine deserves a priority approach.

scholarly journals Glatiramer Acetate Treatment in Multiple Sclerosis-Associated Fatigue—Beneficial Effects on Self-Assessment Scales But Not on Molecular Markers

Biomolecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 393
Author(s):  
Oliver Neuhaus ◽  
Wolfgang Köhler ◽  
Florian Then Bergh ◽  
Wolfgang Kristoferitsch ◽  
Jürgen Faiss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Glatiramer Acetate ◽  
Neurotrophic Factors ◽  
Common Symptom ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Open Label ◽  
Immunological Parameters ◽  
Beneficial Effects

Although fatigue is a common symptom in multiple sclerosis (MS), its pathomechanisms are incompletely understood. Glatiramer acetate (GA), an immunomodulatory agent approved for treatment of relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS), possesses unique mechanisms of action and has been shown to exhibit beneficial effects on MS fatigue. The objective of this study was to correlate clinical, neuropsychological, and immunological parameters in RRMS patients with fatigue before and during treatment with GA. In a prospective, open-label, multicenter trial, 30 patients with RRMS and fatigue were treated with GA for 12 months. Inclusion criterion was the presence of fatigue as one of the most frequent and disabling symptoms. Before and during treatment, fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), the MS-FSS, and the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS). In addition, fatigue and quality of life were assessed using the Visual Analog Scales (VAS). Laboratory assessments included screening of 188 parameters using real-time PCR microarrays followed by further analysis of several cytokines, chemokines, and neurotrophic factors. Fatigue self-assessments were completed in 25 patients. After 12 months of treatment with GA, 13 of these patients improved in all three scales (with the most prominent effects on the MFIS), whereas 5 patients had deteriorated. The remaining 7 patients exhibited inconsistent effects within the three scales. Fatigue and overall quality of life had improved, as assessed via VAS. Laboratory assessments revealed heterogeneous mRNA levels of cytokines, chemokines, and neurotrophic factors. In conclusion, we were not able to correlate clinical and molecular effects of GA in patients with RRMS and fatigue.

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