Revisiting food-sourced vitamins for consumer diet and health needs: a perspective review, from vitamin classification, metabolic functions, absorption, utilization, to balancing nutritional requirements

The Relationship between Frontal QRS-T Angle and Vitamin D Deficiency

Background and Objectives: A deficiency in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels is associated with a number of cardiovascular situations, such as high blood pressure, heart failure, atherosclerotic heart disease, and peripheral artery disease. The frontal QRS-T angle has recently been proposed as a marker of ventricular repolarization. A wider frontal QRS-T angle has been positively correlated with adverse cardiac events. The objective of our study was to examine the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level and the frontal QRS-T angle. Materials and Methods: A total of 173 consecutive patients aged 18-60 years undergoing routine cardiology check-up evaluation, and not receiving concurrent vitamin D treatment were included in the study. Patients were classified in three groups, depending on their vitamin D levels, and categorized as follows: Group 1-deficient (<20 ng/mL), Group 2-insufficient (20-29 ng/mL), or Group 3-optimal (≥30 ng/mL). The frontal QRS-T angle was determined using the automated reports generated by the electrocardiography machine. Results: The average age of participants was 45.8 (±12.2) years, and 55.5% of participants were female (p < 0.001). Individuals with low vitamin D concentrations exhibited a wider frontal QRS-T angle. It was determined that vitamin D level is an independent predictive factor for the frontal QRS-T angle. Conclusions: As the levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D decrease, repolarization time assessed by frontal QRS-T angle is widened. Our findings indicate that lower concentrations of vitamin D may increase the susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmia.

Physicochemical compositions, nutritional and functional properties, and color qualities of sorghum-orange-fleshed sweet potato composite flour

Sorghum and orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) flours were blended to produce composite flours at eight different ratios of 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70, and 20:80, respectively, whereas 100% sorghumflour was used as control. The physicochemical compositions, nutritional and functional properties, as well as color attributes of the composite flour blends were evaluated. The acquired data were analyzed using ANOVA, and the means were separated using the Duncan multiple range test. Significant differences (p < .05) were observed in the physicochemical and nutritional properties of the flour blends. The protein levels in the composite flour decreased as the proportion of OFSP flour increased. However, the levels of vitamins, particularly vitamins A and C contents of the composite flours increased with higher proportions of OFSP, ranging from 0.27 and 1.74 mg/100 g in sample S100 to 2.13 and 2.12 mg/100 g in sample S20O80, respectively. In contrast, an increase in the percentage of OFSP flour resulted in a decrease in the contents of vitamin B-complex, particularly vitamins B2 and B6. These values decreased slightly from 0.19 and 1.98 mg/100 g in sample S100 to 0.16 and 0.03 mg/100 g in sample S20O80, respectively. Furthermore, as the proportion of OFSP flour increased, there was a reduction in the calcium levels from 17.39 mg/100 g in the 100% sorghum sample to 13.52 mg/100 g in the S20O80 sample. However, no particular trend was observed in, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus levels. Sample S50O50 had the highest percentage of essential and conditional amino acids, except for cysteine, valine, and phenylalanine. The findings also revealed significant variations (p < .05) in the composite flour samples' functional properties and color measurements. Substituting sorghum with OFSP in sorghum-based food products would significantly increase their vitamin A content.

Vitamin D Status among Patients Admitted to a Geriatric Ward-Are Recommendations for Preventing Its Deficiency Effective Enough?

Despite a decade of available recommendations aimed at preventing vitamin D (VD) deficiency in Poland, the efficacy of these measures among community-dwelling older individuals remains inconsistent. The PolSenior2 study provided valuable insights into VD status among community-dwelling older individuals in Poland. However, it is important to note that this research did not include the elderly living in care institutions. Therefore, our study concentrates on evaluating VD status in older patients admitted to a geriatrics ward to indirectly assess their adherence to existing recommendations and preventive actions in this particular setting (whether they translate into health-promoting behaviors (i.e., taking vitamin D supplements) and whether the recommended, optimal 25(OH)D concentration values are achieved). This approach offers a comprehensive understanding of VD status in a previously understudied population. We aimed to evaluate VD status in patients aged 70 and above within the geriatrics ward, exploring its association with age, sex, BMI, and the use of VD supplements. The study involved the measurement of serum VD concentration in 240 individuals. Of these participants, 177 (73.8%) were women, and 193 (80.4%) were over 75 years old. The median 25(OH)D concentration was found to be 22.95 (IQR, 13.7-33.0) ng/mL. Notably, profound deficiency (<10 ng/mL) was noted in 15% of the participants, while 67.5% exhibited VD inadequacy (<30 ng/mL). It is worth mentioning that only 18.3% of individuals took VD supplements preadmission. Insufficiency was more prevalent in nonsupplemented individuals (70.9% vs. 52.3%, p = 0.02) and those with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (76.2% vs. 59.2%, p = 0.007). The logistic regression model demonstrated that obese patients had over two times higher odds of VD inadequacy (OR = 2.21, p = 0.0074), as did nonsupplemented individuals (OR = 2.23, p = 0.0187). The high prevalence of VD deficiency and inadequacy in geriatric ward admissions emphasizes the urgent need for targeted interventions and enhanced education for older adults, caregivers, and physicians to improve adherence to preventive supplementation practices.

Dietary habits in adolescent male and female handball players: the Swedish Handball Cohort

Objectives

This cross-sectional study aimed to describe dietary habits in Swedish adolescent handball players and differences with respect to sex and school grade.

Methods

Participants in the Swedish Handball Cohort answered a web-survey assessing adherence to sports nutrition recommendations for meal frequency and meal timing, and the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNR) for fruits/vegetables and fish/seafood, food exclusions and use of dietary supplements. Differences with respect to sex and school grade were estimated with generalised linear models, generating prevalence ratios (PR) with 95% CIs.

Results

A total of 1040 participants (16.6±0.9 years, 51% males) were included. Overall, 70% and 90%, respectively, met recommendations for meal frequency and meal timing, whereas adherence to recommended carbohydrate intake during training/game was met by 17%. Adherence to the NNR for fruits/vegetables and fish/seafood was met by 16% and 37%, respectively. Twenty-eight per cent reported using dietary supplements. Females reported lower frequency of meals, especially morning snacks (-0.6 days/week (95% CI -0.3 to -0.9)) and evening snacks (-0.8 days/week (95% CI -0.5 to -1.1)), higher prevalence of exclusions due to intolerances (PR 1.66 (95% CI 1.31 to 2.01)) and other reasons (PR 1.36 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.64)), higher adherence to the NNR for fruits/vegetables (PR 2.30 (95% CI 1.98 to 2.62)) and use of micronutrient supplements (PR 1.72 (95% CI 1.43 to 2.00)) compared with males. Only small differences were observed between school grades.

Conclusions

Swedish adolescent handball players' dietary habits are fairly in accordance with sports nutrition recommendations but not the NNR. Females appear to display more restrictive habits than males.

Vitamin D and Periodontal Health: A Systematic Review

The role of vitamin D in maintaining gum well-being is crucial. However, scientific research reported that the connotations of cholecalciferol and periodontal health have been divested in the present literature. However, there is enormous heterogeneity in the data available. The current review aims to systematically review and appraise the available literature investigating the role of vitamin D in maintaining periodontal health. Studies included randomized controlled trials and clinical trials following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and cohort studies reporting associations between vitamin D and oral health in systemically healthy patients. Databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Embase, and other sources, including hand search, were searched until May 2023 using together-equipped search sequences. Altogether, scientific articles that conform to the inclusion principles underwent a thorough eminence evaluation. All papers meeting inclusion criteria were subject to quality assessment, and the method used to assess the risk of bias was the Cochrane risk of bias tool. The search identified 1883 papers, among which 1435 were excluded after title evaluation. After abstract and title screening, 455 were excluded, and six full texts were assessed. After full-text evaluation, two articles were excluded, and only four were included. The data shows vitamin D's association with oral health maintenance. Along with its action on bone metabolism, it has extended function, which provides for its action as an anti-inflammatory agent and production of anti-microbial peptides, which help maintain oral health. Although the literature available is immense, there is enormous heterogenicity in the papers conducted to appraise the association between vitamin D and oral health. This systematic review has filtered all the data to review a few essential aspects of the role of vitamin D in maintaining oral physiology. Vitamin D has a linear relationship with periodontal health; however, the evidence is insufficient, and further studies must be done.

Evaluation of the carotenoid and fat-soluble vitamin profile of industrial hemp inflorescence by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry and photodiode-array detection

Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a plant matrix whose use is recently spreading for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical purposes. Detailed characterization of hemp composition is needed for future research that further exploits the beneficial effects of hemp compounds on human health. Among minor constituents, carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins have largely been neglected to date despite carrying out several biological activities and regulatory functions. In the present paper, 22 target carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins were analyzed in the inflorescences of seven Italian industrial hemp varieties cultivated outdoor. The analytes were extracted by cold saponification to avoid artifacts and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry. Phytoene, phytofluene, and all-trans-β-carotene were the most abundant in all analyzed samples (31-55 µg g^-1, 11.6-29 µg g^-1, and 7.3-53 µg g^-1, respectively). Besides the target analytes, liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode-array detection allowed us to tentatively identify several other carotenoids based on their retention behavior and UV-vis spectra with the support of theoretical rules and data in the literature. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive characterization of carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins in industrial hemp inflorescence.

Co-Encapsulation of Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate and Vitamin B12 in Zein Microstructures by Electrospinning/Electrospraying Technique

EGCG is a catechin known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Vitamin B12 is an essential vitamin found in animal-derived products, and its deficiency may cause serious health problems such as anemia. The effectiveness of both catechin and vitamin B12 depends on their stability and bioavailability, which can be lost during industrial processes due to degradation when exposed to external factors. A potential solution to this issue is the microencapsulation, which protects the compounds from external agents. The current study aims to microencapsulate EGCG and vitamin B12 in a polymer matrix of biological origin, zein. Microencapsulation was performed using an electrospinning technique, and different concentrations of zein (1–30% w/v) and active compound (0.5–5% w/w) were tested, resulting in the production of micro/nanoparticles, fibers, or the mixture of both. The microstructures were analyzed and characterized in terms of morphology, release profile and kinetics, and encapsulation efficiency. High encapsulation efficiencies were obtained, and the highest were found in the samples with 1% w/w of active substance and 30% w/v of zein. Controlled release studies were conducted in deionized water and in an ethanolic solution, and five kinetic models were applied to the release profiles. The results indicated that the Weibull model was the best fit for the majority of results.

MOLECULAR MECHANISMS UNDERLYING THERAPEUTIC ACTION OF VITAMIN B6

The aim of the study was to analyze the molecular mechanisms that determine the possibility of using vitamin B6 in clinical practice for the correction of various pathological conditions.

Materials and methods. Information retrieval (Scopus, PubMed) and library (eLibrary) databases were used as research tools. In some cases, the ResearchGate application was used for a semantic search. The analysis and generalization of the scientific literature on the topic of research, covering the period from 1989 to the present, has been carried out in the work.

Results. It has been shown that all chemical forms of vitamin B6 are able to penetrate the membranes of most cells by free diffusion, while forming phosphorylated forms inside. Pyridoxal phosphate is a biologically important metabolite that is directly involved as a cofactor in a variety of intracellular reactions. Requirements for this cofactor depend on the age, sex and condition of the patient. Pregnancy and lactation play a special role in the consumption of vitamin B6. In most cases, a balanced diet will provide an acceptable level of this vitamin. At the same time, its deficiency leads to the development of a number of pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, inflammations and diabetes. Negative manifestations from the central nervous system are also possible with an excessive consumption of B6.

Conclusion. Replenishment of the vitamin B6 level in case of its identified deficiency is a necessary condition for the successful treatment of the central nervous system diseases, diabetes and correction of patients’ immune status. At the same time, it is necessary to observe a balanced intake of this cofactor in order to avoid negative effects on metabolism in case of its excess.

The Focus on Core Genetic Factors That Regulate Hepatic Injury in Cattle Seems to be Important for the Dairy Sector’s Long-Term Development

The cattle during the perinatal period, as well as malnutrition, generate oxidative stress which leads to high culling rates of calves after calving across the world. Although metabolic diseases have such a negative impact on the welfare and economic value of dairy cattle, that becomes a serious industrial concern across the world. According to research, genetic factors have a role or controlling fat deposition in the liver by influencing the biological processes of hepatic lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, gluconeogenesis, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and inflammation, all of which contribute to hepatic damage. This review focuses on the critical regulatory mechanisms of VEGF, mTOR/AKT/p53, TNF-alpha, Nf-kb, interleukin, and antioxidants that regulate lipid peroxidation in the liver via direct or indirect pathways, suggesting that they could be a potential critical therapeutic target for hepatic disease.

The Pathogenesis of Cardiac Arrhythmias in Vitamin D Deficiency

The global prevalence of vitamin D deficiency is more than 20%, and the main causes include insufficient intake, reduced absorption, abnormal metabolism, or resistance to its effects. The levels of serum vitamin D appear to influence cardiovascular risk, and the mechanism involved is linked to the transient outward current and the ultrarapid delayed rectifier K+ current densities, activated through the nuclear vitamin D receptor and Akt pathway. A significant number of studies have correlated vitamin D deficiency with an increased risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. For this reason, the purpose of this review is to analyze the relation between vitamin D deficiency and the pathogenesis of cardiac arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation, increased QT interval, and QT dispersion were the most common findings associated with vitamin D deficiency. Due to the heterogeneity among existing studies, further research is necessary to confirm the existing data and to analyze its relationship with other types of arrhythmias.

Relationship between Habitual Intake of Vitamins and New-Onset Prediabetes/Diabetes after Acute Pancreatitis

Vitamins have many established roles in human health. However, the role of habitual dietary intake of vitamins in glucose homeostasis in individuals after acute pancreatitis (AP) is yet to be elucidated. The aim was to investigate the associations between habitual intake of fat- and water-soluble vitamins/vitamers and markers of glucose metabolism (fasting plasma glucose (FPG), homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, and homeostasis model assessment β-cell function (HOMA-β)) in individuals after AP. A total of 106 participants after AP were included in this cross-sectional study and were grouped based on glycaemic status: new-onset prediabetes/diabetes after AP (NODAP), pre-existing prediabetes/type 2 diabetes (T2DM), and normoglycaemia after AP (NAP). Habitual intake of seven fat-soluble vitamins/vitamers and seven water-soluble vitamins were determined by the EPIC-Norfolk food frequency questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted using five statistical models built to adjust for covariates (age, sex, daily energy intake, visceral/subcutaneous fat volume ratio, smoking status, daily alcohol intake, aetiology of AP, number of AP episodes, cholecystectomy, and use of antidiabetic medications). In the NODAP group, three fat-soluble vitamins/vitamers (α-carotene, β-carotene, and total carotene) were significantly associated with HOMA-β. One water-soluble vitamin (vitamin B3) was also significantly associated with HOMA-β in the NODAP group. None of the studied vitamins were significantly associated with FPG or HOMA-IR in the NODAP group. Prospective longitudinal studies and randomised controlled trials are now warranted to investigate if the observed associations between vitamin/vitamer intake and NODAP are causal and to unveil the specific mechanisms underlying their involvement with NODAP.

Nutritional evaluation of complementary porridge formulated from orange-fleshed sweet potato, amaranth grain, pumpkin seed, and soybean flours

Supplementing breastmilk with poor energy and nutrient-dense complementary foodstuffs for young children and infants has resulted in malnutrition, poor growth, and retardation of infant development in many sub-Saharan African countries. Ensuring nutrient adequacy for infants because of their lower consumption requires energy and nutrient-dense food. In this context, the nutritional composition of porridge from complementary flour blends of locally available foodstuffs (orange-fleshed sweet potato, pumpkin seeds, amaranth grains, and soybeans) was carried out. Complementary flours formulated from flour blends of pumpkin seeds, extrusion cooked soybean, and orange-fleshed sweet potato, as well as germinated and extrusion cooked amaranth grains, resulted in varieties of complementary porridges (SAPO1-SAPO5). From these, proximate composition, mineral content (sodium, iron, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and zinc), vitamin contents (A and C), and nutrient density of the formulated complementary porridge were determined. Results showed that all the formulated complementary porridge were able to meet the stipulated standards of energy and nutrient (zinc, iron, vitamin A, and protein) densities. Flour blend ratio, germination process, and extrusion cooking significantly (p < .05) influenced the targeted nutrients of interest, as well as the nutrient and energy densities of the formulated complementary porridge. Specifically, the formulated complementary porridge with 40% amaranth grain, 25% orange-fleshed sweet potato, 20% soybean, and 15% pumpkin seed composite mixture had 76.92% compliance level with recommended standards, which assure adequate nutrient complementation to breastfeeding. The present study provides a valuable insight that complementary foods from locally obtainable foodstuffs are potential solutions for mitigating childhood malnutrition and adequate complementation to breastfeeding by proffering the needed energy and nutrient densities required for the immunity, well-being, growth, and development of young children and infants, without fortification.