Diet-Induced Hyperinsulinemia as a Key Factor in the Etiology of Both Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Essential Hypertension?

Aging and "Age-Related" Diseases - What Is the Relation?

The study explores the intricate relationship between aging and the development of noncommunicable diseases [NCDs], focusing on whether these diseases are inevitable consequences of aging or primarily driven by lifestyle factors. By examining epidemiological data, particularly from hunter-gatherer societies, the study highlights that many NCDs prevalent in modern populations are rare in these societies, suggesting a significant influence of lifestyle choices. It delves into the mechanisms through which poor diet, smoking, and other lifestyle factors contribute to systemic physiological imbalances, characterized by oxidative stress, insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, and dysregulation of the sympathetic nervous system, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, and the immune system. The interplay between this pattern and individual factors such as genetic susceptibility, biological variability, epigenetic changes and the microbiome is proposed to play a crucial role in the development of a range of age-related NCDs. Modified biomolecules such as oxysterols and advanced glycation end products also contribute to their development. Specific diseases such as benign prostatic hyperplasia, Parkinson's disease, glaucoma and osteoarthritis are analyzed to illustrate these mechanisms. The study concludes that while aging contributes to the risk of NCDs, lifestyle factors play a crucial role, offering potential avenues for prevention and intervention through healthier living practices. One possible approach could be to try to restore the physiological balance, e.g. through dietary measures [e.g. Mediterranean diet, Okinawan diet or Paleolithic diet] in conjunction with [a combination of] pharmacological interventions and other lifestyle changes.

Gestational exposure to the great Chinese famine: early life undernutrition impact on prostatic hyperplasia in adulthood

Introduction

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a frequent illness in aged men that impacts their quality of life; early childhood exposure to famines may have long-term effects on the chance of developing BPH. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between early-life famine exposure and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) risk in Chinese men born during 1959-1961.

Methods

We used medical records from a large, comprehensive hospital to screen people born in China during the years of famine (1959-1961). Birthplaces were identified as indicators of famine exposure status. In the time window between 2017 and 2022, people born during the famine years who had prostatic ultrasonic examinations were selected, and their medical records were retrieved from the database. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses investigated the relationship between famine exposure and BPH risk.

Results

A total of 3,009 subjects were included in this study. Patients with heavy famine exposure had older age, shorter height, lighter weight, lower cholesterol, lower uric acid (UA), lower aspartate aminotransferase (ALT), and a higher incidence of BPH than those with light famine exposure (all p < 0.05). Univariate logistic regression showed that BPH was positively related to famine exposure, age, height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) but negatively related to UA (all p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression showed that age and famine exposure were still independent risk factors (p < 0.05), while UA was an independent protective factor for BPH (p < 0.05). Heavy famine exposure increased the risk of BPH (adjusted OR = 1.214, 95% CI = 1.05-1.467, p = 0.045).

Conclusions and recommendation

Famine and malnutrition exposure during early life may be independent risk factors for BPH in Chinese adults. This relationship provides additional evidence to support the fetal origins of adult diseases and offers clues for the pathological mechanisms of BPH.

Modelling remission from overweight type 2 diabetes reveals how altering advice may counter relapse

The development or remission of diet-induced overweight type 2 diabetes involves many biological changes which occur over very different timescales. Remission, defined by HbA1c<6.5%, or fasting plasma glucose concentration G<126 mg/dl, may be achieved rapidly by following weight loss guidelines. However, remission is often short-term, followed by relapse. Mathematical modelling provides a way of investigating a typical situation, in which patients are advised to lose weight and then maintain fat mass, a slow variable. Remission followed by relapse, in a modelling sense, is equivalent to changing from a remission trajectory with steady state G<126 mg/dl, to a relapse trajectory with steady state G≥126 mg/dl. Modelling predicts that a trajectory which maintains weight will be a relapse trajectory, if the fat mass chosen is too high, the threshold being dependent on the lipid to carbohydrate ratio of the diet. Modelling takes into account the effects of hepatic and pancreatic lipid on hepatic insulin sensitivity and β-cell function, respectively. This study leads to the suggestion that type 2 diabetes remission guidelines be given in terms of model parameters, not variables; that is, the patient should adhere to a given nutrition and exercise plan, rather than achieve a certain subset of variable values. The model predicts that calorie restriction, not weight loss, initiates remission from type 2 diabetes; and that advice of the form 'adhere to the diet and exercise plan' rather than 'achieve a certain weight loss' may help counter relapse.

Evaluating the Impact of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Surgical Treatments on Sexual Health

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a prevalent condition in older men, is often managed through various surgical interventions. This narrative review aims to explore the impact of these surgical treatments on sexual function, a critical aspect of patient quality of life often overlooked in BPH management. The methodology encompassed a thorough review of contemporary surgical techniques for BPH, including prostate resection, enucleation, vaporization, and minimally invasive therapies such as UroLift, Rezum, and Aquablation. Additionally, the focus was on patient-centered outcomes, with a special emphasis on sexual health following surgery. Findings reveal that, while surgical interventions effectively alleviate BPH symptoms, they often have significant repercussions in sexual function, including erectile and ejaculatory dysfunction. However, emerging techniques demonstrate potential in preserving sexual function, underscoring the need for patient-centric treatment approaches. The study highlights the complex interplay between BPH surgery and sexual health, with minimally invasive treatments showing promise in balancing symptom relief and sexual function preservation. In conclusion, the study advocates for an integrated, interdisciplinary approach to BPH treatment, emphasizing the importance of considering sexual health in therapeutic decision-making. This narrative review suggests a paradigm shift towards minimally invasive techniques could optimize patient outcomes, marrying symptom relief with quality-of-life considerations. The need for further research in this domain is evident, particularly in understanding long-term sexual health outcomes following different surgical interventions for BPH.

Common salt aggravated pathology of testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in adult male Wistar rat

BACKGROUND

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a major health concern associated with lower urinary tract symptoms and sexual dysfunction in men. Recurrent inflammation, decreased apoptotic rate and oxidative stress are some of the theories that explain the pathophysiology of BPH. Common salt, a food additive, is known to cause systemic inflammation and redox imbalance, and may serve as a potential risk factor for BPH development or progression. This study examined the effect of common salt intake on the pathology of testosterone-induced BPH.

METHODS

Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four equal groups of 10: a control and three salt diet groups-low-salt diet (LSD), standard-salt diet (SSD) and high-salt diet (HSD). The rats were castrated, allowed to recuperate and placed on salt-free diet (control), 0.25% salt diet (LSD), 0.5% salt diet (SSD) and 1.25% salt diet (HSD) for 60 days ad libitum. On day 33, BPH was induced in all the rats with daily injections of testosterone propionate-Testost® (3 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. The rats had overnight fast (12 h) on day 60 and were euthanized the following day in order to collect blood and prostate samples for biochemical, molecular and immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses. Mean ± SD values were calculated for each group and compared for significant difference with ANOVA followed by post hoc test (Tukey HSD) at p < 0.05.

RESULTS

This study recorded a substantially higher level of IL-6, IL-8 and COX-2 in salt diet groups and moderate IHC staining of COX-2 in HSD group. The prostatic level of IL-17, IL-1β, PGE2, relative prostate weight and serum PSA levels were not statistically different. The concentrations of IGF-1, TGF-β were similar in all the groups but there were multiple fold increase in Bcl-2 expression in salt diet groups-LSD (13.2), SSD (9.5) and HSD (7.9) and multiple fold decrease in VEGF expression in LSD (-6.3), SSD (-5.1) and HSD (-14.1) compared to control. Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and concentration of nitric oxide rose in LSD and SSD groups, and SSD and HSD groups respectively. Activities of glutathione peroxidase and catalase, and concentration of NADPH and hydrogen peroxide were not significantly different. IHC showed positive immunostaining for iNOS expression in all the groups while histopathology revealed moderate to severe prostatic hyperplasia in salt diet groups.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that low, standard and high salt diets aggravated the pathology of testosterone-induced BPH in Wistar rats by promoting inflammation, oxidative stress, while suppressing apoptosis and angiogenesis.

The Impact of Westernization on the Insulin/IGF-I Signaling Pathway and the Metabolic Syndrome: It Is Time for Change

The metabolic syndrome is a cluster of overlapping conditions resulting in an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In the last few decades, prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in the Western world has reached epidemic proportions and this is likely due to alterations in diet and the environment as well as decreased physical activity. This review discusses how the Western diet and lifestyle (Westernization) has played an important etiological role in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome and its consequences by exerting negative effects on activity of the insulin-insulin-like growth factor-I (insulin-IGF-I) system. It is further proposed that interventions that normalize/reduce activity of the insulin-IGF-I system may play a key role in the prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome. For successful prevention, limitation, and treatment of the metabolic syndrome, the focus should be primarily on changing our diets and lifestyle in accordance with our genetic make-up, formed in adaptation to Paleolithic diets and lifestyles during a period of several million years of human evolution. Translating this insight into clinical practice, however, requires not only individual changes in our food and lifestyle, starting in pediatric populations at a very young age, but also requires fundamental changes in our current health systems and food industry. Change is needed: primary prevention of the metabolic syndrome should be made a political priority. New strategies and policies should be developed to stimulate and implement behaviors encouraging the sustainable use of healthy diets and lifestyles to prevent the metabolic syndrome before it develops.

Cinnamomum cassia and Rosa laevigata Mixture Improves Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Rats by Regulating Androgen Receptor Signaling and Apoptosis

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common condition in elderly men that is characterized by an increase in the size of the prostate gland. Cinnamomum cassia and Rosa laevigata have been reported to treat the symptoms associated with BPH. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of HT080, an herbal extract of C. cassia and R. laevigata, on a testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH rat model. The rats received a daily subcutaneous injection of TP (3 mg/kg) for 4 weeks to induce BPH. Rats were divided into four groups: group 1 (sham), group 2 (BPH, TP alone), group 3 (Fina, TP + finasteride 1 mg/kg/day), and group 4 (HT080, TP + HT080 200 mg/kg/day). At the end of the experiment, all rats were sacrificed, and their prostate glands were removed, weighed, and subjected to histopathological examination and western blot analyses. Serum testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels were determined. In addition, serum alanine and aspartate aminotransferase levels were measured to evaluate the toxicity in the liver. The Hershberger bioassay was also conducted to investigate the effects of HT080 on androgenic and antiandrogenic activities. In the BPH model, the prostate weight, prostate index, prostate epithelial thickness, and serum testosterone and DHT levels in the HT080 group were significantly reduced compared to the BPH group. Histological studies showed that HT080 reduced prostatic hyperplasia. The protein expression of androgen receptor from the HT080 group was significantly reduced in comparison with the BPH group (p < 0.05). HT080 also induced apoptosis by regulating Bcl-2 and Bax expression. In addition, HT080 showed no toxicity in the liver and did not exhibit androgenic and antiandrogenic activities. Our finding revealed that HT080 can be a potential candidate for the treatment of BPH by regulating androgen receptor signaling and apoptosis.

Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio and risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia in Chinese male subjects

Background

Lipid metabolism disorders contribute to the risk factor of prostatic hyperplasia. Lipid ratios have also attracted a lot of attention. Yet, research about the correlation of lipid ratios with prostatic hyperplasia is limited. Hence, the aim of this study was to investigate the association of lipid ratios with the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in Chinese male subjects.

Methods

Healthy men who underwent routine health check-ups from January 2017 to December 2019 were recruited. Twenty-four thousand nine hundred sixty-two individuals were finally enrolled in this research. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between lipid ratios and BPH in Chinese adults.

Results

After health examinations for more than 2 years, 18.46% of subjects were ascertained as incident BPH cases. Higher age, body mass index (BMI), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), triglycerides (TGs), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-C) ratio, total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TC/HDL-C) ratio, and lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were significantly associated with BPH risk, while total cholesterol (TC) was not significant. When quartiles of TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C were analyzed in multivariable model, higher TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C were associated with a risk of BPH (odds ratio [OR] = 2.11; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.89, 2.36; P-trend < 0.001; and OR = 1.67; 95% CI: 1.50, 1.85; P-trend < 0.001, respectively). In addition, stratified analyses based on the general population exhibited that with increasing age (≥35 years) the relationship of TG/HDL-C ratio with BPH risk was dominantly positive (all P-trend < 0.001, P-interaction = 0.001), and significant associations were also found in blood pressure strata and FBG strata (all P-trend < 0.001), except men with BMI ≥ 28 kg/m² were slightly weakened (OR = 2.01, 95% CI: 1.41, 2.85; P-trend = 0.04). Moreover, there were significant associations between quartiles of TC/HDL-C and the risk of BPH was observed mainly in age 55–64 years, BMI 18.5–23.9 Kg/m², blood pressure strata, and FBG strata. However, the P-value for a linear trend among those with BMI ≥ 28 Kg/m² in which participants at the highest quartile of TC/HDL-C had an OR of 1.45 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.93) was 0.594. Additionally, higher TG/HDL-C ratio (≥0.65) may be a risk factor for BPH in China adults of different age decades (≥35 years) with normal TG and HDL-C.

Conclusions

TG/HDL-C and TC/HDL-C were associated with BPH risk, TG/HDL-C was a powerful independent risk factor for BPH in Chinese adults, and higher TG/HDL-C ratio should be valued in male subjects with normal TG and HDL-C levels.

Icariin ameliorates metabolic syndrome-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an immense health issue that causes serious complications in aging males including BPH. Icariin (ICA) is a flavonol glycoside that exerts a plethora of pharmacological effects. The present investigation tested the potential of ICA to ameliorate benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) induced by MetS in rats. Animals were allocated to 5 groups in which the first and second groups were kept on water and regular food pellets. MetS was induced in the third, fourth, and fifth groups by keeping the animals on high fructose and salt diets for twelve consecutive weeks. These groups were given vehicle, ICA (25 mg/kg), and ICA (50 mg/kg), respectively. MetS was confirmed by an increase in rats' weight, accumulation of visceral fat, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. This was accompanied by manifestation of BPH including increased prostate weight, prostate index, and histopathological alterations. Treating the animals with both doses of ICA significantly ameliorated the increase in weight and index of the prostate as well as altered prostate histopathology. In addition, ICA significantly decreased cyclin D1 expression, upregulated Bax, and downregulated Bcl2 mRNA expression. ICA prevented lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione depletion, and catalase exhaustion, which further lowered markers of prostate inflammation such as interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α. Moreover, ICA prevented the decrease in prostate content of phosphorylated 5'-adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (pAMPK). In conclusion, ICA protects against MetS-induced BPH. This is due to its antiproliferative, proapoptotic, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities as well as the activation of AMPK.

Nutritional and surgical aspects in prostate disorders

Prostate disorders are commonplace in medicine, especially in older men, with prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and prostate cancer being the most abundant pathologies. The complexity of this organ, however, turns treatment into a challenge. In this review, we aim to provide insight into the efficacy of alternative treatments, which are not normally used in conventional medicine, with a particular focus on nutrients. In order to understand why and how nutrition can be beneficial in diseases of the prostate, we give an overview of the known characteristics and features of this organ. Then, we provide a summary of the most prevalent prostate illnesses. Finally, we propose nutrition-based treatment in each of these prostate problems, based on in-depth research concerning its effects in this context, with an emphasis on surgery. Overall, we plead for an upgrade of this form of alternative treatment to a fully recognized mode of therapy for the prostate.

Aerobic exercises ameliorate benign prostatic hyperplasia via IGF-1/IGF-1R/ERK/AKT signalling pathway in prostate tissue of high-fat-diet-fed mice with insulin resistance

This study investigated the changes in the prostate of high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice with insulin resistance (IR) and explored the possible mechanisms of the effects of 8-week treadmill aerobic exercise on prostatic hyperplasia in insulin-resistant mice through the IGF-1/IGF-1R/ERK/AKT signalling pathway. Results showed IR in mice caused an increase in prostate-related indicators, such as prostate weight (PW) and prostate volume (PV), resulting in prostatic hyperplasia. The area of the glandular lumen and the height of the glandular epithelium in mice with IR were increased, which indicating that it caused prostatic hyperplasia through epithelial cell proliferation. In addition, the level of IGF-1 in serum and the expression of IGF-1R, ERK and AKT in prostate tissue of high-fat diet induced IR mice increased significantly, which might be related to the proliferation of prostate cells. However, aerobic exercise lowered the blood sugar, serum insulin and IGF-1; inhibited the combination of IGF-1 and IGF-1R on the prostate; down-regulated the expression of IGF-1R, ERK and AKT proteins; and then suppressed the expression of downstream proliferation genes, thereby achieving the purpose of inhibiting the proliferation of prostate epithelial cells. In conclusion. Eight weeks of aerobic exercise might improve the prostate hyperplasia in mice via down-regulating the serum insulin and IGF-1, thus enhancing the insulin sensitivity of insulin-resistant mice and regulating the IGF-1/IGF-1R/ERK/AKT signalling pathway by inhibiting the expression of IGF-1R, ERK and AKT in the prostate tissue. However, this exercise had no significant effect on PV, PW and prostate index (PI).

Changes in Dietary Patterns and Clinical Health Outcomes in Different Countries during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to an excess in community mortality across the globe. We review recent evidence on the clinical pathology of COVID-19, comorbidity factors, immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection, and factors influencing infection outcomes. The latter specifically includes diet and lifestyle factors during pandemic restrictions. We also cover the possibility of SARS-CoV-2 transmission through food products and the food chain, as well as virus persistence on different surfaces and in different environmental conditions, which were major public concerns during the initial days of the pandemic, but have since waned in public attention. We discuss useful measures to avoid the risk of SARS-CoV-2 spread through food, and approaches that may reduce the risk of contamination with the highly contagious virus. While hygienic protocols are required in food supply sectors, cleaning, disinfection, avoidance of cross-contamination across food categories, and foodstuffs at different stages of the manufacturing process are still particularly relevant because the virus persists at length on inert materials such as food packaging. Moreover, personal hygiene (frequent washing and disinfection), wearing gloves, and proper use of masks, clothes, and footwear dedicated to maintaining hygiene, provide on-site protections for food sector employees as well as supply chain intermediates and consumers. Finally, we emphasize the importance of following a healthy diet and maintaining a lifestyle that promotes physical well-being and supports healthy immune system function, especially when government movement restrictions ("lockdowns") are implemented.

The FGF/FGFR system in the physiopathology of the prostate gland

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a family of proteins possessing paracrine, autocrine, or endocrine functions in a variety of biological processes, including embryonic development, angiogenesis, tissue homeostasis, wound repair, and cancer. Canonical FGFs bind and activate tyrosine kinase FGF receptors (FGFRs), triggering intracellular signaling cascades that mediate their biological activity. Experimental evidence indicates that FGFs play a complex role in the physiopathology of the prostate gland that ranges from essential functions during embryonic development to modulation of neoplastic transformation. The use of ligand- and receptor-deleted mouse models has highlighted the requirement for FGF signaling in the normal development of the prostate gland. In adult prostate, the maintenance of a functional FGF/FGFR signaling axis is critical for organ homeostasis and function, as its disruption leads to prostate hyperplasia and may contribute to cancer progression and metastatic dissemination. Dissection of the molecular landscape modulated by the FGF family will facilitate ongoing translational efforts directed toward prostate cancer therapy.

Mathematical model of diabetes and lipid metabolism linked to diet, leptin sensitivity, insulin sensitivity and VLDLTG clearance predicts paths to health and type II diabetes

An original model of diabetes linked to carbohydrate and lipid intake is presented and applied to predict the effects on biomarkers of various diets. The variables (biomarkers) are concentrations of fasting plasma glucose, insulin, leptin, glucagon, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and very low density lipoprotein triglyceride (VLDLTG), as well as muscle lipids, hepatic lipids, pancreatic lipids, fat mass and mass of β-cells. The model predicts isocaloric high carbohydrate low fat (HCLF) diet and low carbohydrate high fat (LCHF) diet trajectories to health which vary in fat mass by at most a few kilograms at steady state. The LCHF trajectories to health are faster than isocaloric HCLF trajectories with respect to fat mass loss, although these trajectories may be slower initially if parameters are adjusting from HCLF values. On LC diets, leptin sensitivity and VLDLTG clearance are thought to increase. Increasing leptin sensitivity and VLDLTG clearance is predicted to lower lipids including fat mass and VLDLTG. The model predicts that changes in VLDLTG due to a change in diet happen rapidly, approaching steady state values after a few weeks, reflecting leptin sensitivity and VLDLTG clearance which are much harder to measure. The model predicts that if only insulin sensitivity increases on a LC diet, steady state fat mass would increase slightly. If leptin and insulin sensitivities increase concurrently, the combined effect could be a decrease in fat mass, consistent with the fact that increasing insulin sensitivity is often associated with fat mass loss in trials. The model predicts trajectories to fat type II diabetes with hypertriglyceridemia due to high carbohydrate moderate fat diets, on which insulin rises before falling, as ectopic fat deposits increase; made fatter and more diabetic by higher lipid consumption. It predicts trajectories to non-diabetic states with raised fat mass, VLDLTG and muscle, hepatic and pancreatic lipids due to moderate carbohydrate high fat diets. The model predicts paths to lean type II diabetes, on a diet of moderate energy but low β-cell replication rate or high death rate.

Association between benign prostate enlargement-related storage and voiding symptoms and systolic blood pressure: a single-center cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Lower urinary tract symptoms significantly worsen quality of life. The hypothesis that they might lead to serious systolic blood pressure alterations through inducing sympathetic nervous activity has not been studied so far.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the relationship between benign prostate enlargement-related storage and voiding symptoms and systolic blood pressure.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Cross-sectional single-center study on data from a hospital patient record system.

METHODS

We evaluated the medical records of all consecutive patients with benign prostate enlargement-related lower urinary tract symptoms admitted between January 2012 and December 2017. Storage and voiding symptoms were assessed separately. International Prostate Symptom Score, uroflowmetry, postvoiding residual urine volume and systolic blood pressure were recorded. Pearson correlation and linear regression analysis were used.

RESULTS

Positive correlations were found between systolic blood pressure and all of the storage symptoms. Among these, urgency had the most significant effect. There were 166 patients (41.4%) with urgency for urination, which increased mean systolic blood pressure from 124.88 mmHg (average value in elevated blood pressure group) to 132.28 mmHg (average value in stage-1 hypertension group). Hesitancy in urinating and feeling of incomplete bladder emptying had weak positive correlations with systolic blood pressure. There was a negative correlation between systolic blood pressure and intermittency of urination.

CONCLUSIONS

With increasing numbers of urine storage symptoms, systolic blood pressure also increases, while the opposite occurs for voiding symptoms in patients with benign prostate enlargement. We conjecture that storage symptoms may lead to this increase through inducing sympathetic hyperactivity. Further prospective studies with larger groups are needed to confirm these findings.

Genetic Permissiveness and Dietary Glycemic Load Interact to Predict Type-II Diabetes in the Nile rat (Arvicanthis niloticus)

Objective: The Nile rat (Arvicanthis niloticus) is a superior model for Type-II Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) induced by diets with a high glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GLoad). To better define the age and gender attributes of diabetes in early stages of progression, weanling rats were fed a high carbohydrate (hiCHO) diet for between 2 to 10 weeks. Methods: Data from four experiments compared two diabetogenic semipurified diets (Diet 133 (60:20:20, as % energy from CHO, fat, protein with a high glycemic load (GLoad) of 224 per 2000 kcal) versus Diets 73 MBS or 73 MB (70:10:20 with or without sucrose and higher GLoads of 259 or 295, respectively). An epidemiological technique was used to stratify the diabetes into quintiles of blood glucose (Q1 to Q5), after 2–10 weeks of dietary induction in 654 rats. The related metagenetic physiological growth and metabolic outcomes were related to the degree of diabetes based on fasting blood glucose (FBG), random blood glucose (RBG), and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 30 min and 60 min. Results: Experiment 1 (Diet 73MBS) demonstrated that the diabetes begins aggressively in weanlings during the first 2 weeks of a hiCHO challenge, linking genetic permissiveness to diabetes susceptibility or resistance from an early age. In Experiment 2, ninety male Nile rats fed Diet 133 (60:20:20) for 10 weeks identified two quintiles of resistant rats (Q1,Q2) that lowered their RBG between 6 weeks and 10 weeks on diet, whereas Q3–Q5 became progressively more diabetic, suggesting an ongoing struggle for control over glucose metabolism, which either stabilized or not, depending on genetic permissiveness. Experiment 3 (32 males fed 70:10:20) and Experiment 4 (30 females fed 60:20:20) lasted 8 weeks and 3 weeks respectively, for gender and time comparisons. The most telling link between a quintile rank and diabetes risk was telegraphed by energy intake (kcal/day) that established the cumulative GLoad per rat for the entire trial, which was apparent from the first week of feeding. This genetic permissiveness associated with hyperphagia across quintiles was maintained throughout the study and was mirrored in body weight gain without appreciable differences in feed efficiency. This suggests that appetite and greater growth rate linked to a fiber-free high GLoad diet were the dominant factors driving the diabetes. Male rats fed the highest GLoad diet (Diet 73MB 70:10:20, GLoad 295 per 2000 kcal for 8 weeks in Experiment 3], ate more calories and developed diabetes even more aggressively, again emphasizing the Cumulative GLoad as a primary stressor for expressing the genetic permissiveness underlying the diabetes. Conclusion: Thus, the Nile rat model, unlike other rodents but similar to humans, represents a superior model for high GLoad, low-fiber diets that induce diabetes from an early age in a manner similar to the dietary paradigm underlying T2DM in humans, most likely originating in childhood.

How Western Diet And Lifestyle Drive The Pandemic Of Obesity And Civilization Diseases

Westernized populations are plagued by a plethora of chronic non-infectious degenerative diseases, termed as "civilization diseases", like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, autoimmune diseases, Alzheimer's disease and many more, diseases which are rare or virtually absent in hunter-gatherers and other non-westernized populations. There is a growing awareness that the cause of this amazing discrepancy lies in the profound changes in diet and lifestyle during recent human history. This paper shows that the transition from Paleolithic nutrition to Western diets, along with lack of corresponding genetic adaptations, cause significant distortions of the fine-tuned metabolism that has evolved over millions of years of human evolution in adaptation to Paleolithic diets. With the increasing spread of Western diet and lifestyle worldwide, overweight and civilization diseases are also rapidly increasing in developing countries. It is suggested that the diet-related key changes in the developmental process include an increased production of reactive oxygen species and oxidative stress, development of hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation and an abnormal activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin system, all of which play pivotal roles in the development of diseases of civilization. In addition, diet-related epigenetic changes and fetal programming play an important role. The suggested pathomechanism is also able to explain the well-known but not completely understood close relationship between obesity and the wide range of comorbidities, like type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, etc., as diseases of the same etiopathology. Changing our lifestyle in accordance with our genetic makeup, including diet and physical activity, may help prevent or limit the development of these diseases.