Nutrient Supplementation (nutrient + supplementation)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Nutritional supplements, foods, and epilepsy: Is there a relationship?

EPILEPSIA, Issue 11 2008
Ali A. Asadi-Pooya
Summary Anecdotal reports suggest that certain foods and dietary contents might influence the occurrence of seizures. However, the existing data are scanty and sometimes controversial. Some studies have found that the supplementation with individual nutrients reduced seizure frequency or improved other aspects of health in patients with epilepsy, while other studies have failed to confirm those findings. Nutrient supplementation may be necessary to prevent or reverse the effects of certain deficiencies that frequently result from the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). However, the potential benefits of nutrient supplementation in patients with epilepsy must be weighed against reports that large doses of certain nutrients can interfere with the action of some AEDs. This paper reviews dietary and nutritional considerations in patients with epilepsy and also the relationship between foods, dietary elements, and seizures. [source]


Selenium Deficiency Associated with Cardiomyopathy: A Complication of the Ketogenic Diet

EPILEPSIA, Issue 4 2003
A. G. Christina Bergqvist
Summary: ,Purpose: The ketogenic diet (KD) is an efficacious treatment for intractable epilepsy, associated with infrequent side effects. The KD is known to be deficient in most vitamins and minerals and may be deficient in trace minerals. We report biochemical selenium deficiency in nine patients on the KD, including one who developed cardiomyopathy. Methods: A whole-blood selenium level was obtained on the symptomatic patient after noting the patient's poor appearance on physical examination. Children already treated and children beginning the KD were then evaluated prospectively for selenium status by measuring whole-blood or serum selenium as part of routine laboratory evaluation every 3 months. Results: The index case had no detectable whole-blood selenium. Cardiac physical examination and ECG were normal, but the echocardiogram revealed cardiomyopathy. Thirty-nine additional children had the selenium status evaluated. Eight had selenium levels below the normal range (six initially, and two developed low selenium levels on serial testing). They were referred for cardiology evaluations, which were normal. Selenium supplementation improved levels in all children. Low levels were seen in some children after only a few months of treatment. Conclusions: The nutrient adequacy of the currently used KD has not been fully evaluated. The nutrient content of KD with usual supplements may not meet Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for selenium and may not provide other trace minerals in adequate amounts. At our center, selenium deficiency was found in 20% of the patients evaluated. Screening for selenium deficiency is suggested if the patient KD regimen does not meet ,75% of the RDA or if the child is symptomatic. Nutrient supplementation should provide adequate trace elements for children treated with the KD. The KD requires close monitoring of the overall nutritional status. [source]


Nutritional supplements, foods, and epilepsy: Is there a relationship?

EPILEPSIA, Issue 11 2008
Ali A. Asadi-Pooya
Summary Anecdotal reports suggest that certain foods and dietary contents might influence the occurrence of seizures. However, the existing data are scanty and sometimes controversial. Some studies have found that the supplementation with individual nutrients reduced seizure frequency or improved other aspects of health in patients with epilepsy, while other studies have failed to confirm those findings. Nutrient supplementation may be necessary to prevent or reverse the effects of certain deficiencies that frequently result from the use of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). However, the potential benefits of nutrient supplementation in patients with epilepsy must be weighed against reports that large doses of certain nutrients can interfere with the action of some AEDs. This paper reviews dietary and nutritional considerations in patients with epilepsy and also the relationship between foods, dietary elements, and seizures. [source]


Effects of specific nutrients on periodontal disease onset, progression and treatment

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 7 2003
Rodrigo F. Neiva
Abstract Objectives: The aim of this paper is to review the available literature pertaining to the effects of specific nutritional elements (e.g. vitamin B-complex, vitamin C and dietary calcium) on general wound healing, periodontal disease status and response to periodontal therapy. Methods: Critical appraisal of various studies that have evaluated the effects of calcium, ascorbic acid and vitamin B-complex in wound healing and periodontal treatment. Results: Periodontal disease onset, progression and response to therapeutic interventions have been shown to be influenced by several systemic, local and environmental modifying factors. Nutritional supplementation has been suggested as a possible influencing factor on periodontal status and wound healing. Several studies have reported various degrees of association between nutritional elements/supplements and periodontal status, and others have reported possible positive influences of nutritional supplementation on periodontal therapeutic outcomes. Future research needs to more fully explore the presence and strength of association between nutrition and periodontal health. Conclusions: Data collected from the literature suggests that nutrient supplementation causes minimal or no side effects. However, the efficacy of prophylactic nutrient supplementation for the prevention of the onset and progression of periodontal disease, or for the enhancement of periodontal wound healing, remains to be determined. Zusammenfassung Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass der Beginn, der Verlauf und das Ansprechen auf therapeutische Intervention parodontaler Erkrankungen durch verschiedene modifizierende systemische, lokale und Umweltfaktoren beeinflusst werden. Ergänzungen zur Ernährung wurden als mögliche Einflussfaktoren für den parodontalen Status und die Wundheilung diskutiert. Diese Arbeit gibt eine Übersicht über die verfügbare Literatur zum Einfluss spezieller Elemente der Ernährung (z.B. Vitamin-B-Komplex, Vitamin C und Kalzium) auf die generelle Wundheilung, parodontale Erkrankungen sowie das Ansprechen auf parodontale Therapie. Verschiedene Studien haben über Zusammenhänge zwischen Elementen der Nahrung bzw. Ernährungsergänzungen und dem parodontalen Status berichtet. Andere berichten über mögliche positive Einflüsse von Ernährungsergänzungen auf das Ergebnis parodontaler Therapie. Besonderer Wert wird auf die kritische Bewertung der vorhandenen Studien gelegt und es werden Empfehlungen für zukünftigen Forschungsbedarf gegeben, um die Existenz und Ausprägung von Zusammenhängen zwischen Ernährung und parodontaler Gesundheit vollständig zu erfassen. Daten, die aus der Literatur gesammelt wurden, legen den Schluss nahe, dass eine Ergänzung der Ernährung minimale oder keine Nebenwirkungen hat. Allerdings die Wirksamkeit einer prophylaktischen Ernährungsergänzung für die Prävention der Entstehung und Progression von Parodontitis oder die Verbesserung der parodontalen Wundheilung muss noch bestimmt werden. Résumé L'apparition, la progression et la réponse de la maladie parodontale aux interventions thérapeutiques sont influencées par différents facteurs systémiques locaux et environnementaux. L'apport supplémentaire de substances nutritives a été suggéré comme facteur influençant l'état parodontal et la guérison. Cette étude revoit la littérature concernant les effets des éléments nutritionnels spécifiques comme le complexe vitaminique-B, le vitamine-C et le calcium diététique sur la guérison en général, l'état de la maladie parodontale et la réponse au traitement parodontal. Différentes études ont rapporté différents degrés d'association entre les éléments/suppléments nutritifs et l'état parodontal, et d'autres ont rapporté des influences positives possibles des suppléments nutritionnels sur la guérison thérapeutique parodontale. L'importance est axée sur l'appréciation critique d'études disponibles et sur une recommandation en recherches futures pour explorer davantage la présence et la force de l'association entre la nutrition et la santé parodontale. Des données collectées de la littérature suggèrent que l'apport de suppléments nutritifs n'est suivi que de peu ou pas d'effets secondaires. Cependant, l'efficacité d'un supplément nutritif prophylactique pour la prévention primaire et de la progression de la maladie parodontale, ou pour l'augmentation de la guérison parodontale reste à déterminer. [source]


Development of Auxotrophic Agrobacterium tumefaciens for Gene Transfer in Plant Tissue Culture

BIOTECHNOLOGY PROGRESS, Issue 3 2004
Jason I. Collens
Auxotrophic strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens were generated for use in liquid co-culture with plant tissue for transient gene expression. Twenty-one auxotrophs were recovered from 1,900 tetracycline-resistant insertional mutants generated with a suicide vector transposon mutagenesis system. Twelve of these auxotrophs were characterized on a nutrient matrix. Isolates were screened for growth in plant cell and root culture, and three auxotrophs were identified that had limited growth: adenine (ade-24), leucine (leu-27), and cysteine (cys-32). Ade-24 displayed poor T-DNA delivery in a transient expression test delivering GUS from a binary vector, while cys-32 displayed the best ability to deliver DNA of these three auxotrophs. The growth yield of cys-32 on cysteine was assessed to provide a quantitative basis for co-culture nutrient supplementation. The utility of cys-32 for delivering T-DNA to plant tissues is demonstrated, where an 85-fold enhancement in GUS expression over wild-type A. tumefacienswas achieved. [source]