In Vitro Evaluation of Bioavailability of Se from Daily Food Rations and Dietary Supplements

Application of In Vitro Digestion Models in the Evaluation of Dietary Supplements

Nowadays, dietary supplements are a permanent part of our diet. Using various simulated in vitro digestive models, the bioavailability of dietary supplement ingredients has also been investigated. In most cases, static models are used instead of dynamic ones. This article focuses on the division of applications of in vitro methods, such as assessing the quality of dietary supplements (in chemical and pharmaceutical form), the impact of diet on the assessment of the bioavailability of product ingredients, the impact of supplement ingredients on the state of intestinal microflora, and the development of new products using various encapsulation methods. The review included publications from 2000 to 2024 showing the use of in vitro methods in dietary supplements containing polysaccharides, proteins, elements, vitamins, and bioactive substances, as well as probiotic and prebiotic products. The impact of components in dietary supplements on the human digestive tract and their degree of bioaccessibility were determined through the use of in vitro methods. The application of in vitro methods has also become an effective tool for designing new forms of dietary supplements in order to increase the availability and durability of labile ingredients in these products.

In Vitro Evaluation of Bioavailability of Cr from Daily Food Rations and Dietary Supplements from the Polish Market

Only some of the nutrients consumed with food are able to be absorbed from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and enter the systemic circulation (blood). Because some elements are essential minerals for humans, their beneficial effect on the body depends significantly on their bioavailable amount (the fraction that can be absorbed and used by the organism). The term bioavailability, which is very often used to describe the part of nutrients that is able to be absorbed, is influenced by various factors of exogenous and endogenous origin. The main purpose of the study was to assess the relative bioavailability of Cr from selected dietary supplements in the presence of various types of diets, which significantly influence the level of bioavailability. The research was performed using a previously developed and optimized two-stage in vitro digestion model using cellulose dialysis tubes of food rations with the addition of pharmaceutical products. Cr was determined using the ICP-OES and GF-AAS methods, depending on its concentration in particular fractions. The determined relative bioavailability ranged between 2.97 and 3.70%. The results of the study revealed that the type of diet, the chemical form of the molecule, and the pharmaceutical form of preparations have a significant influence on the bioavailability of Cr.

In Vitro Assessment of the Bioaccessibility of Zn, Ca, Mg, and Se from Various Types of Nuts

The bioaccessibility of zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and selenium (Se) from various nuts (Brazil nuts, walnuts, peanuts, almonds, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, and pistachios) was assessed using a simulated two-phase model of enzymatic digestion in vitro. The levels of Zn, Mg, and Ca were determined by atomic absorption spectrometry, and Se was measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. All tested nuts were good sources of Mg, and most, except macadamia nuts, were also good sources of Zn (the standard portion covers over 15% of NRV-R (UE) 1924/2006). Brazil nuts had the highest Se content. Almonds and Brazil nuts were rich in Ca. Se demonstrated the highest bioaccessibility from nuts (27.7% to 70.65%), whereas Ca exhibited the lowest bioaccessibility (below 9%). Pistachios had the highest Zn bioavailability, while cashews excelled in Mg bioaccessibility. Macadamia and pistachios were top for Ca bioaccessibility, and Brazil nuts for Se. Bioaccessibility is positively correlated with fat (for Zn: r = 0.23), carbohydrates (for Mg: 0.44; for Ca: 0.35), and sugar content (for Zn: r = 0.36; for Mg: 0.46; for Ca: 0.40).

Influence of Diet on the Bioavailability of Active Components from Zingiber officinale Using an In Vitro Digestion Model

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) is a plant known all over the world that is used as a spice and as an ingredient in drinks, dietary supplements, and cosmetics. The growing availability of its fresh rhizomes makes it even more likely to be used in the diet, mainly due to its beneficial health properties and high content of polyphenols (gingerols and shogaols). The main goal and motivation of the authors was to assess the bioavailability of active substances contained in the extract from ginger rhizomes in the presence of various types of diets using the in vitro digestion method, enabling simulation of the processes occurring during the digestion and absorption of metabolites in the small intestine. For the qualitative and quantitative analyses, the HPLC-MS (High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) and HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) techniques were used, respectively. Based on the obtained results, it was found that the best bioavailability of the selected ginger polyphenols (6-gingerol, 8-gingerdione, 8-shogaol, and 10-gingerdione) was estimated for a high-fiber diet, while the weakest results were obtained for standard and basic diets. In the case of the high-fiber diet, the bioavailability of the mentioned compounds was estimated as 33.3, 21.4, 6.73, and 21.0%, while for the basic diet, it was only 21.3, 5.3, 2.0, and 1.0%, respectively.