Interconnected benefits of urban agriculture

Date: January 10, 2018 Source: Arizona State University Summary: Researchers have assessed the value of urban agriculture and quantified its benefits at global scale.

From a vacant plot in a blighted neighborhood springs neatly combed rows of plants put in by the neighbors. They meticulously care for this small piece of land and among the drab looking buildings sprouts a patch of green. Cultivating the land may have started as a way to unite a neighborhood; to give pride to place, or it might be the project of a local high school to teach land stewardship.

The urban agriculture phenomenon has grown over the years for many reasons, each specific to the plot of land or rooftop it covers. While most of the benefits from these efforts seem to be limited and very local, when taken collectively there is a significant environmental impact that results from them.

Now a team of researchers led by Arizona State University and Google has assessed the value of urban agriculture and quantified its benefits at global scale. They report their findings in "A Global Geospatial Ecosystems Services Estimate of Urban Agriculture," in the current issue of Earth's Future.

"For the first time, we have a data-driven approach that quantifies the ecosystem benefits from urban agriculture," said Matei Georgescu, an ASU associate professor of geographical sciences and urban planning and corresponding author of the paper. "Our estimates of ecosystem services show potential for millions of tons of food production, thousands of tons of nitrogen sequestration, billions of kilowatt hours of energy savings and billions of cubic meters of avoided storm runoff from agriculture in urban areas."

The researchers analyzed global population, urban, meteorological, terrain, and Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) datasets in Google Earth Engine to come to their global scale estimates. They then aggregated them by country.

Overall, the researchers estimated the annual value of four ecosystem services provided by existing vegetation in urban areas to be on the order of $33 billion. In this scenario, they projected an annual food production of 100 to 180 million tons, energy savings of 14 to 15 billion kilowatt hours (insulation properties provided by soil on roofs), nitrogen sequestration between 100,000 to 170,000 tons and avoided storm runoff of 45 to 57 billion cubic meters annually.

With intense urban agriculture implementation, the researchers estimate the overall annual worth of urban agriculture could be as much as $80 to $160 billion. Importantly, urban agriculture could help feed a world that may face future challenges in industrial agriculture as a result of climate change.

"We've known there are benefits to having these small plots of land in our cities, but we found that the benefits extend well beyond having fresh food in the hands of those who will consume it," explained lead author Nicholas Clinton of Google, Inc.

"By integrating across elements that comprise the food-energy-water nexus, our work characterizes the heterogeneous nature of ecosystem services. It is a benchmark global scale assessment," added Georgescu, who also is a senior scientist in the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability at ASU.

In addition to Georgescu and Clinton, co-authors of the paper are Albie Miles of the University of Hawaii; Peng Gong of Tsinghua University, Beijing; ASU graduate students Michelle Stuhlmacher, Nazli Uludere and Melissa Wagner; and Chris Herwig of Google.

Urban agriculture's full effect

"The most obvious benefit of urban agriculture is that it improves access to healthy foods," said co-author Michelle Stuhlmacher. "In addition to considering yield, our analysis evaluates the potential ecosystem services -- such as urban nitrogen fixation, pollination, biological control of pests, control of damaging storm water runoff and energy conservation -- that result from urban agriculture."

The work, the researchers say, provides more than an accounting of the effect of urban agriculture in one scenario. It can be used as a tool for future assessments of the changing urban agriculture landscape to better understand tradeoffs between urban design strategies.

"The value of this approach to the global community -- research, governmental organizations, political groups -- is that it provides local stakeholders with a quantitative framework that they themselves can use. For example, they can assess local implications of varying urban agriculture deployment scenarios based on current or projected urban extent, current or projected building height and facades, different yields, etc., that are all specific to the location under consideration," explained Clinton.

"The global estimates that we provide are useful because they provide a benchmark for other researchers but the societal benefits extend well beyond that because of the implementation of Google's Earth Engine platform," added Georgescu. "Anyone on the planet who wants to know whether and how much urban agriculture can provide for their locality can now do so using open data and code provided with the paper."

Looking at the future of urban agriculture, Clinton said countries that have the most incentives to encourage it share two primary characteristics -- sufficient urban area, and a national-scale mixture of crops that lends itself to urban cultivation.

"Relatively temperate, developed or developing countries with the right mix of crops are expected to have the greatest incentives for urban agriculture," he said. "These would include China, Japan, Germany and the U.S."

Seeing the whole picture

"Analysis of the food-energy-water nexus sometimes leaves the impression that benefits are concentrated in one place and costs in another," said Tom Torgersen, program director for the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Water, Sustainability and Climate program, which supported the research. "But that's not always the case. Urban agriculture, for example, is an underdeveloped industry that could produce food, sequester urban nitrogen, generate energy savings, help moderate the urban climate and reduce storm water runoff, as well as provide more nutritious foods."

In addition the NSF, funding for the project came from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a National High Technology Grant from China and Google, Inc.

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Materials provided by Arizona State University. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Nicholas Clinton, Michelle Stuhlmacher, Albie Miles, Nazli Uludere Aragon, Melissa Wagner, Matei Georgescu, Chris Herwig, Peng Gong. A Global Geospatial Ecosystem Services Estimate of Urban Agriculture. Earth's Future, 2018; DOI: 10.1002/2017EF000536

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Plants really do feed their friends

Researchers prove complex connection between plants and what soil microbes eat

Date: March 22, 2018 Source: DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Summary: Researchers have discovered that as plants develop they craft their root microbiome, favoring microbes that consume very specific metabolites. Their study could help scientists identify ways to enhance the soil microbiome for improved carbon storage and plant productivity.

Rhizosphere soil for microbial isolations was collected from the Little Buck watershed at the University of California Hopland Research and Extension Center in an area in which Avena barbata are the dominant vegetation.

Credit: Heejung Cho

Researchers at the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and UC Berkeley have discovered that as plants develop they craft their root microbiome, favoring microbes that consume very specific metabolites. Their study could help scientists identify ways to enhance the soil microbiome for improved carbon storage and plant productivity.

"For more than a century, it's been known that plants influence the makeup of their soil microbiome, in part through the release of metabolites into the soil surrounding their roots," said Berkeley Lab postdoctoral researcher Kateryna Zhalnina, the study's lead author. "Until now, however, it was not understood whether the contents of this cocktail released by plants was matched by the feeding preferences of soil microbes in a way that would allow plants to guide the development of their external microbiome."

The study, "Dynamic root exudate chemistry and microbial substrate preferences drive patterns in rhizosphere microbial community assembly," has just been published in the journal Nature Microbiology. The corresponding authors were Berkeley Lab scientists Trent Northen and Eoin Brodie.

Microbes within soil improve the ability of plants to absorb nutrients and resist drought, disease, and pests. They mediate soil carbon conversion, affecting the amount of carbon stored in soil or released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. The relevance of these functions to agriculture and climate are being observed like never before.

Just one gram of soil contains tens of thousands of microbial species. Scientists have long known that plants impact the composition of the soil microbiome in the area surrounding their roots by sending out chemicals (metabolites). Prior work by Mary Firestone, Berkeley Lab faculty scientist and a professor of microbiology at UC Berkeley, had shown that plants were consistently selecting or suppressing the same types of microbes over time in the root zone, suggesting some form of synchronization between plant and microbiome development.

Yet, little research had gone into the relationship between specific metabolites that plants release and the microbes consuming them. The new study brought together experts in soil science, microbial and plant genomics, and metabolomics to explore these potential metabolic connections. Their study took a close look at the rhizosphere of an annual grass (Avena barbata) common in California and other Mediterranean ecosystems.

The Berkeley Lab team felt the time was ripe for doing so. As pressure mounts for farmers to grow enough healthy crops to meet a burgeoning population's needs, and for new land management strategies that improve soil carbon storage to reduce atmospheric CO2 and produce healthy soils, the soil microbiome is the subject of more in-depth scientific research than ever before.

The researchers set out to determine the relationship between microbes that consistently bloomed near the grass roots and the metabolites released by the plant. Their first step was to collect soil from the University of California's Hopland Research and Extension Center in northern California. Brodie, deputy director of Berkeley Lab's Climate and Ecosystem Sciences Division, and his group used what they knew about the lifestyles of these soil bacteria to develop specialized microbial growth media to cultivate hundreds of different bacterial species. They then selected a subset that either flourished or declined as roots grew through the soil.

This collection of microbes was then sent to the Joint Genome Institute (JGI), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, where their genomes were sequenced to provide clues as to why their responses to roots differed. This analysis suggested that the key to success for microbes that thrived in the rhizosphere was their diet.

Northen, senior scientist in Berkeley Lab's Environmental Genomics and System Biology Division, is fascinated by the chemistry of microbiomes, and his group has developed advanced mass spectrometry-based exometabolomic approaches to elucidate metabolic interactions between organisms. Zhalnina and Northen combined their expertise to identify what the more successful microbes surrounding the roots of the Avena grasses preferred to eat.

Using a hydroponic setup at the JGI, they immersed plants at different developmental stages in water to stimulate them to exude their metabolites, then measured the metabolites being released by the plants using mass spectrometry. Subsequently, the cultivated soil microbes were fed a cocktail of root metabolites, and the researchers used mass spectrometry to determine which microbes preferred which metabolites.

They found that the microbes that flourished in the area around plant roots preferred a diet more rich in organic acids than the less successful microbes in the community.

"Early in its growth cycle, the plant is putting out a lot of sugars, 'candy', which we find many of the microbes like," Northen said. "As the plant matures, it releases a more diverse mixture of metabolites, including phenolic acids. What we discovered is that the microbes that become more abundant in the rhizosphere are those that can use these aromatic metabolites."

Brodie describes these phenolic acids as very specific compounds released by plants throughout their development. Phenolic acids are often associated with plant defenses or plant-microbe communication. This indicates to Brodie that as they establish the microbial community within the rhizosphere, plants could be exuding metabolites like phenolic acids to help them control the types of microbes thriving around their roots.

"We've thought for a long time that plants are establishing the rhizosphere best suited to their growth and development," said Brodie. "Because there are so many different types of microbes in soil, if the plants release just any chemical it could be detrimental to their health.

"By controlling the types of microbes that thrive around their roots, plants could be trying to protect themselves from less friendly pathogens while promoting other microbes that stimulate nutrient supply."

Zhalnina, Firestone, Northen, and Brodie believe their findings have great potential to influence additional scientific and applied research. Zhalnina points out that a lot of research and development is currently underway by government and industry to harness the power of microbes that improve plant yield and quality of soil to help meet society's growing demands for a sustainable food supply.

She said, "It's exciting that we can potentially use the plant's own chemistry to help nourish beneficial microbes within soil. Population growth, especially, has created a demand for identifying more reliable ways to manipulate the soil microbiome for beneficial outcome."

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Materials provided by DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Kateryna Zhalnina, Katherine B. Louie, Zhao Hao, Nasim Mansoori, Ulisses Nunes da Rocha, Shengjing Shi, Heejung Cho, Ulas Karaoz, Dominique Loqué, Benjamin P. Bowen, Mary K. Firestone, Trent R. Northen, Eoin L. Brodie. Dynamic root exudate chemistry and microbial substrate preferences drive patterns in rhizosphere microbial community assembly. Nature Microbiology, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41564-018-0129-3

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DOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "Plants really do feed their friends: Researchers prove complex connection between plants and what soil microbes eat." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 March 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180322103204.htm>.

Is Aloe Effective for Blood Pressure, Inflammatory Bowel, Wound Healing ...

Antioxidants and amino acids could play role in the treatment of psychosis

Date: March 22, 2018 Source: University of Manchester Summary: A scientific paper has revealed that some nutrients found in food may help reduce the symptoms of psychotic illness, when used in the early stages of treatment.

A scientific paper has revealed that some nutrients found in food may help reduce the symptoms of psychotic illness, when used in the early stages of treatment.

The systematic review, led by Dr Firth, honorary Research Fellow at The University of Manchester and Research Fellow at NICM Health Research Institute, Western Sydney University an examined if nutrient supplementation could provide effective 'add on' treatment for young people with psychosis.

The team brought together data from eight independent clinical trials of nutrient supplementation in 457 young people in the early stages of psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia.

The review is published in Early Intervention in Psychiatry.

Researchers found that certain nutrient supplements, used alongside standard treatment, may improve mental health in young people with psychosis more than standard treatment alone.

The study by Firth and colleagues is the first evaluation of nutrient supplementation trials in 'first-episode psychosis' (FEP).

Dr Firth said "Nutrient supplementation in the treatment of mental illness is something which can be surrounded by both cynicism and 'hype'.

"We conducted this review just to see if there is any 'real evidence' if such nutrients can actually help young people with psychosis.

"Certainly, there is early indication that certain nutrients may be beneficial, not to replace standard treatment, but as an 'add-on' treatment for some patients"

One nutrient reviewed was Taurine, an amino-acid found in foods such as shellfish and turkey.

A clinical trial conducted in Melbourne in 121 young patients with psychosis found that 4 grams of Taurine per day reduced psychotic symptoms within just 12 weeks.

Certain antioxidant supplements, such as n-acetyl cysteine and vitamin C, may also be effective -- particularly for patients with high levels of 'oxidative stress'.

Studies on omega-3 supplements showed that although these appear to improve brain health in young people with psychosis, the evidence for actually reducing psychotic symptoms is conflicting.

"We have to be careful to replicate the results of these initial studies before jumping to firm conclusions" Dr Firth said.

Now, the team are aiming to do just that: launching a new clinical trial in which all of the potentially beneficial nutrients are combined within a single supplement, and provided to young people with psychosis.

He added: "Individual nutrients appear to have moderate effects on mental health, at best.

"A combined nutrient intervention, explicitly designed from the evidence-base in psychosis, may therefore confer larger and more beneficial effects for young people with this condition.

"We will be testing this in Sydney, Australia in 2018, to learn more about the potential role of nutrition in mental health for the future."

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Materials provided by University of Manchester. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Journal Reference:

Joseph Firth, Simon Rosenbaum, Philip B. Ward, Jackie Curtis, Scott B. Teasdale, Alison R. Yung, Jerome Sarris. Adjunctive nutrients in first-episode psychosis: A systematic review of efficacy, tolerability and neurobiological mechanisms. Early Intervention in Psychiatry, 2018; DOI: 10.1111/eip.12544

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The universal language of hormones

Date: March 22, 2018 Source: Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, JMU Summary: Bioinformatics specialists have studied a specific class of hormones which is relevant for plants, bacteria and indirectly for humans, too. Their results challenge previous scientific assumptions.

Elena Bencurova analysed 123 organisms and subjected their proteins to detailed motif analyses.

Credit: Image courtesy of JMU

Bioinformatics specialists from the University of Würzburg have studied a specific class of hormones which is relevant for plants, bacteria and indirectly for humans, too. Their results challenge previous scientific assumptions.

Cytokinins are a class of hormones mainly found in plants. They regulate plant growth and development and delay the ageing process, for example. Moreover, current studies show that cytokinins also play a vital role when the plant fights pathogens by making it resistant to specific disease-causing agents. But the doings of cytokinins are not limited to the plant kingdom: The hormones also occur in animal tissues as well as in bacteria, fungi and algae.

Bioinformatics scientists from the University of Würzburg have recently uncovered new details of how cytokinins evolve that challenge previous assumptions. The study involved Professor Thomas Dandekar, who holds the Chair of Bioinformatics, and his co-workers Dr. Muhammad Naseem and Dr. Elena Bencurova. They published their findings in the current issue of the journal Trends in Biochemical Sciences.

Databases in need of overhaul

Previously, the enzymes which activate cytokinins were thought to belong to the class of lysine decarboxylases. But that is not the case: "Our research has shown beyond doubt that these enzymes do not exhibit any decarboxylase activity. They use a different biochemical channel to activate cytokinins," Thomas Dandekar explains. Accordingly, he believes that these annotations now need to be removed from the relevant databases.

Elena Bencurova examined 123 proteins from diverse organisms for this study, subjecting their proteins to detailed motif analyses, or as she puts it, performed a protein sequence analysis. She was interested in the enzymes that activate the cytokinins -- the so-called "lonely guy enzymes" (LOG). Thomas Dandekar explains where the unusual name comes from: "Flowers of a rice mutant only had a stamen but no pistil. This mutation of lonely stamens was therefore baptised 'lonely guy'."

Telltale patterns in the sequence analysis

The young scientist looked for patterns in these amino acid sequences that are characteristic of lysine decarboxylases. But she wasn't able to spot any. Instead, Elena Bencurova identified a pattern that corresponds to the LOG enzymes and decoded four subclasses in the process.

What sounds like a discovery that is relevant for a small group of specialists only actually has far-reaching consequences. "In sum, our latest findings now allow us to get a better understanding of this universal communication mechanism of bacteria, plants and animals," says Thomas Dandekar. "Dr. Muhammad Naseem from our working group significantly contributed to this success. He has been a professor at the Zayed University in Abu Dhabi since January because of his system biological publications on cytokinins. This opens up various fields of applications -- from plants to humans."

Skin cream and tuberculosis

"Human skin cells understand the language of cytokinins," the biochemist says. As an ingredient in skin creams, they could thus protect the cells against harmful influences and slow down the ageing process. However, separate studies on the subject showed that it is all about the right dosage: "In low doses, cytokinins protect the cells. High levels in contrast are harmful," says Dandekar.

Cytokinins have an indirect effect on humans, for example when they are active in the pathogens that cause tuberculosis. They enable the pathogens to manipulate their environment, the respiratory epithelium, in a way that makes it easier for the bacteria to settle and more difficult for the immune system or drugs to fight them (findings by Samanovic et al., Mol Cell 2015).

When it comes to breeding plants, the knowledge on the universal cytokinin language of Naseem, Dandekar and their colleagues can contribute to warning the plants more efficiently against pathogens and activating their defence mechanisms as demonstrated in dedicated studies on thale cress.

More research necessary

"Cytokinins speak a universal hormone language that is understood by many living beings and produces the most diverse results," Thomas Dandekar sums up the central finding of the bioinformatics overview now published. However, a lot of research is still necessary until all details of this language have been understood. Accordingly, the current research result is only "a small step forward within a much bigger context," Elena Bencurova adds. Albeit, a step that creates the foundations for further insights.

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Journal Reference:

Muhammad Naseem, Elena Bencurova, Thomas Dandekar. The Cytokinin-Activating LOG-Family Proteins Are Not Lysine Decarboxylases. Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 2018; DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.01.002

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Non-psychoactive cannabis ingredient could help addicts stay clean

Preclinical study using rats shows that Cannabidiol can reduce the risk of relapse Date: March 23, 2018 Source: Springer Summary: A preclinical study in rats has shown that there might be value in using a non-psychoactive and non-addictive ingredient of the Cannabis sativa plant to reduce the risk of relapse among recovering drug and alcohol addicts. The study's findings inform the ongoing debate about the possible medical benefits of non-psychoactive cannabinoids.

A preclinical study in rats has shown that there might be value in using a non-psychoactive and non-addictive ingredient of the Cannabis sativa plant to reduce the risk of relapse among recovering drug and alcohol addicts. The study's findings inform the ongoing debate about the possible medical benefits of non-psychoactive cannabinoids, and the way that these may be used as therapeutics. So says Friedbert Weiss, leader of an investigative team at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, in Neuropsychopharmacology published by Springer Nature.

Staying drug-free is a constant battle for abstinent addicts. This struggle is made more difficult when former-addicts find themselves in drug-related settings, experience stress or higher levels of anxiousness. Many struggle to control their impulses when offered an addictive drug like alcohol or cocaine.

Weiss and his research associate Gustavo Gonzalez-Cuevas set out to test the effect of Cannabidiol (CBD) on drug relapse in a rat model. CBD is the major non-psychoactive ingredient of Cannabis sativa, a plant that is used to make marijuana. CBD has been considered for some time as a possible treatment for various neurological and psychiatric disorders, and more recently also for the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction.

The researchers applied a gel containing CBD once per day for a week to the skin of the rats in the current study. These animals had a history of voluntary daily alcohol or cocaine self-administration, leading to addiction-like behaviour. Various tests were performed to see how they reacted to stressful and anxiety-provoking situations and behavior in tests of impulsivity, a psychological trait associated with drug addiction. The researchers reported that CBD effectively reduced relapse provoked by stress and drug cues; CBD also reduced anxiety and impulsivity in the drug-experienced rats.

Further studies showed that CBD was completely cleared from the brain and plasma of the rats three days after the therapy was completed. Quite unexpectedly though, five months later, experimental animals that had been treated with CBD still showed a reduced relapse induced by stress or drug cues. The authors of the study believe that insight into the mechanisms by which CBD exerts these effects in future research may open new vistas for the pharmacotherapeutic prevention of relapse to drug use.

"The efficacy of the cannabinoid [CBD] to reduce reinstatement in rats with both alcohol and cocaine -- and, as previously reported, heroin -- histories predicts therapeutic potential for addiction treatment across several classes of abused drugs," says Weiss. "The results provide proof of principle supporting the potential of CBD in relapse prevention along two dimensions: beneficial actions across several vulnerability states, and long-lasting effects with only brief treatment." He goes on to say that "Drug addicts enter relapse vulnerability states for multiple reasons. Therefore, effects such as these observed with CBD that concurrently ameliorate several of these are likely to be more effective in preventing relapse than treatments targeting only a single state."

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Journal Reference:

Gonzalez-Cuevas, G. et al. Unique treatment potential of cannabidiol for the prevention of relapse to drug use: Preclinical proof of principle. Neuropsychopharmacology, 2018 DOI: 10.1038/S41386-018-0050-8

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Springer. "Non-psychoactive cannabis ingredient could help addicts stay clean: Preclinical study using rats shows that Cannabidiol can reduce the risk of relapse." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 23 March 2018. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/03/180323104821.htm>.

O uso do Chá Verde para Perda de Peso (www.fitobula.com)

Link: 

https://www.fitobula.com/single-post/chaverdeobesidade

30.11.2017

Dr. Julino Soares

Parte1: Obesidade e Chá Verde

Associado ao problema da fome, temos milhões de pessoas adoecendo e morrendo por consequência da obesidade. O chá verde é um produto amplamente divulgado para a perda de peso, mas quais as suas propriedades e limitações para o tratamento da obesidade?

Nesse primeiro texto (Parte 1), apresentamos uma breve introdução ao problema da obesidade e características da Camellia sinensis (chá verde). Nos próximos textos iremos apresentar formas de preparo, efeitos adversos, interações medicamentosas, e evidências científicas que sugerem o efeito benéfico da Camellia sinensis no tratamento da obesidade e estudos que sugerem uma contraindicação desse uso. 

Obesidade: Dimensões do Problema

De acordo com o relatório da Organização das Nações Unidas para Alimentação e Agricultura uma a cada oito pessoas no mundo ainda passa fome, ou seja, foi estimado que entre 2011 e 2013 existia um total de 842 milhões de pessoas no mundo que ainda sofriam de desnutrição crônica, não recebendo regularmente comida suficiente para conduzir uma vida ativa.

Por outro lado, a Organização Mundial de Saúde afirma em relatório que, a cada ano, morrem cerca de 2,8 milhões de pessoas devido ao sobrepeso e a obesidade. A prevalência mundial de obesidade vem aumentando rapidamente; na região das Américas, o sobrepeso atingiu 62% para ambos os sexos e a obesidade 26%.

"A obesidade cresceu 11 vezes entre os jovens"

​Segundo divulgação da Revista Fapesp (2017), a obesidade cresceu 11 vezes entre os jovens :

"O número de crianças e adolescentes obesos no mundo aumentou 11 vezes nas últimas quatro décadas (Lancet, 10 de outubro). Em 1975, havia 11 milhões de indivíduos com idade de 5 a 19 anos no mundo que estavam exageradamente acima do peso. Em 2016, as crianças e os jovens obesos eram 124 milhões, dos quais cerca de 60% eram do sexo masculino. Além disso, havia, também no ano passado, 213 milhões de pessoas dessa faixa etária com sobrepeso. A conclusão é de uma meta-análise coordenada por pesquisadores do Imperial College London e da Organização Mundial da Saúde. O trabalho analisou dados de 2.416 estudos epidemiológicos feitos em diferentes partes do globo desde meados dos anos 1970. Esses trabalhos forneceram informações sobre o peso e a altura de 130 milhões de indivíduos da faixa etária analisada".

A obesidade foi considerada como um importante fator de risco para diabetes, doenças cardiovasculares, várias formas de câncer (ex.: mama, cólon e próstata), doenças pulmonares, osteoarticulares e metabólicas.

A obesidade é caracterizada por acúmulo excessivo de gordura e aparece como a causa principal de doenças crônicas, como o diabetes mellitus tipo 2, a hipertensão arterial e o colesterol alto. Está descrita no DECs (Descritores em Ciências da Saúde) como:

​"Estado no qual o PESO CORPORAL está grosseiramente acima do peso aceitável ou ideal, geralmente devido a acúmulo excessivo de GORDURAS no corpo. Os padrões podem variar com a idade, sexo, fatores genéticos ou culturais. Em relação ao ÍNDICE DE MASSA CORPORAL, um IMC maior que 30,0 kg/m2 é considerado obeso e um IMC acima de 40,0 kg/m2 é considerado morbidamente obeso (OBESIDADE MÓRBIDA)". 

Vivemos em um período onde muitas pessoas estão mudando seus hábitos de alimentação, o que inclui a procura por alimentos funcionais, na expectativa de uma vida mais saudável e no enfrentamento de diversos problemas de saúde, como a obesidade. Assim, é relevante a verificação da alegação de que certas substâncias encontradas nos alimentos podem estar relacionadas à perda de peso. Dentre essas substâncias, o chá verde é massivamente apresentado como um produto para a este propósito.

O Chá Verde

Os “chás” são a segunda bebida mais consumida no mundo, sendo que o chá verde perfaz 20% do consumo mundial dessa bebida. O nome científico (botânico) do chá verde é Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze (C. sinensis). Foi batizada genericamente pelo botânico Linneé como Thea, termo derivado do mandarim “tsay”; com a pronúncia “tcha”. Assim, apenas a C. sinensis pode ser chamada de chá. 

C. sinensis é um arbusto de origem asiática, a partir do qual são produzidos os chás branco, oolong, preto e verde. Logo após a colheita, o beneficiamento do chá verde consiste em realizar uma infusão com as folhas, o que inibe um processo de destruição de importantes substâncias da planta, denominado oxidação enzimática. O que possibilita a retenção de grande parte das catequinas, uma classe de polifenóis presente em grande quantidade nesse chá.

Assim, após colheita, o grau de oxidação das folhas que são usadas no preparo dos tipos de chás determina a quantidade de catequinas presente. O chá branco é o que possui essas substâncias em maior quantidade, seguido do verde, do oolong e do preto. No Brasil, seu cultivo é restrito ao Vale do Ribeira (SP), especialmente para a produção do chá preto. 

As quatro catequinas presentes no chá-verde são (nomes complicados mesmo) epicatequina (EC), epigalocatequina (EGC), epicatequina galato (ECG) e epigalocatequina galato (EGCG), sendo esta última, presente em maior quantidade e com maior atividade para perda de peso. O chá também é fonte de cafeína, podendo conter metade da quantidade de cafeína presente na mesma medida de café. Isso depende do tempo de infusão, da quantidade e do tamanho das folhas usadas. 

Estudos indicam uma associação entre o consumo de C. sinensis (chá verde) e do seu composto bioativo EGCG com a redução do peso e do acúmulo de gordura corporal em humanos e em estudos com animais.

Os efeitos da C. sinensis na redução do peso podem ser atribuídos principalmente à ação da EGCG e da cafeína contidas no chá ou em seu extrato, por meio de diversos mecanismos fisiológicos que produzem estímulos no sistema nervoso, regulação do metabolismo, expressão de genes e modulação da resposta inflamatória em uma complexa cascata bioquímica, resultando na diminuição da saciedade e um efeito termogênico e na oxidação lipídica.

Nos próximos textos serão apresentados dados sobre formas de preparo, efeitos adversos, interações medicamentosas, e evidências científicas que sugerem o efeito benéfico da Camellia sinensis no tratamento da obesidade e estudos que sugerem uma contraindicação desse uso. 

*As informações disponíveis nesse texto e site são apenas para uso educacional, sem qualquer garantia expressa ou implícita do uso medicinal e/ou terapêutico. Os conteúdos disponibilizados pelo FitoBula não substituem a leitura integral das diretrizes médicas, fontes originais citadas, bem como, a busca por atualizações ou observações à legislação. Todos os estudos devem ser avaliados sob diversos aspectos técnicos e legais para que sejam considerados úteis na aplicação clínica. A avaliação de informações em saúde inclui a análise dos conflitos de interesses, revisão por pares, tipo de estudo, qualidade do método ou desenho dos estudos clínicos, uso de diretrizes, validade interna e validade externa dos resultados, dentre outros.

Referências

Alterio, A. A.; Fava, D. A. F. Navarro, F. Interação da ingestão diária de chá verde (Camellia sinensis) no metabolismo celular e na célula adiposa promovendo emagrecimento. Revista Brasileira de Obesidade, Nutrição e Emagrecimento. Vol. 1. Núm. 3. p.27-37.

Auvichayapat P, Prapochanung M, Tunkamnerdthai O, Sripanidkulchai BO, Auvichayapat N, Thinkhamrop B, Kunhasura S, Wongpratoom S, Sinawat S, Hongprapas P. Effectiveness of green tea on weight reduction in obese Thais: A randomized, controlled trial. Physiol Behav. 2008 Feb 27;93(3):486-91.

Bastos Deborah HM, Rogero Marcelo M, Arêas José Alfredo G. Mecanismos de ação de compostos bioativos dos alimentos no contexto de processos inflamatórios relacionados à obesidade. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab [Internet]. 2009 July [cited 2016 Feb 11] ; 53( 5 ): 646-656.

Brandão MA, Peter GL, Oliveira da SR, Patrícia S, Cristina de CI, Pretto MJR, et al. Obesidade e fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento de doenças crônicas não transmissíveis entre usuários de unidade de alimentação e nutrição. Cad. Saúde Pública. 2007 Apr; 23( 4 ): 897-905.

Duarte JLG, Pretto APD Borges, Nörnberg FR, Conter LF. A relação entre o consumo de chá verde e a obesidade: revisão. Revista Brasileira de Obesidade, Nutrição e Emagrecimento. v. 8, n. 43 (2014).

Duarte MR, Menarim DO. Morfodiagnose da anatomia foliar e caulinar de Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze. Theaceae. Revista Brasileira de Farmacologia, v. 16, n. 4, p. 545-551, 2006.

Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P, Vandermander J. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Dec;70(6):1040-5.

Dulloo AG, Seydoux J, Girardier L, Chantre P, Vandermander J. Green tea and thermogenesis: interactions between catechin-polyphenols, caffeine and sympathetic activity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Feb;24(2):252-8.

FAO, IFAD and WFP. 2013. The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2013. The multiple dimensions of food security. Rome, FAO. Disponível em: http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3434e/i3434e.pdf.

Jellin JM, Batz F, Hitchens K. Pharmacist’s letter/precriber’s letter natural medicines comprehensive database. Stockton, CA: Therapeutic Research Faculty, 1999.

Koo SI, NOH SK. Green tea as an inhibitor of the intestinal absorption of lipids: potential mechanisms for its lipid-lowering effect. The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, v. 18, n. 3, p. 179-183, 2007.

Matsubara S, Rodriguez-Amaya DB. Teores de catequinase teaflavinas em chás comercializados no Brasil. Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos, v. 26, n. 2, p. 401-407, 2006.

Maughan RJ, Griffin J. Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: a review. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, v. 16, n. 6, p. 411-420, 2003.

Nishiyama MF, et al. Chá verde brasileiro (Camellia sinensis var assamica): efeitos do tempo de infusão, acondicionamento da erva e forma de preparo sobre a eficiência de extração dos bioativos e sobre a estabilidade da bebida. Ciênc. Tecnol. Aliment., Campinas, 30 (Supl.1): 191-196, maio 2010.

Revista Pesquisa Fapesp. Obesidade cresce 11 vezes entre jovens. Acesso em: 29.11.2017. Disponível em: http://revistapesquisa.fapesp.br/2017/10/25/obesidade-cresce-11-vezes-entre-jovens/

RUIZ, C. O Chá. Souza Cruz, São Paulo, 2013.

Schmitz W, Saito AY, Estevão D, Saridakis HO. O chá verde e suas ações como quimioprotetor. Semina: Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, v. 26, n. 2, p. 119-130, 2005.

Siddiqui IA, Afaq F, Adhami VM, Ahmad N, Mukhtar H. Antioxidants of the beverage tea in promotion of human health. Antioxid Redox Signal. 2004 Jun;6(3):571-82.

WHO. World Health Organization. World Health Statistics 2012. Geneva, Switzerland. Disponível em: http://www.who.int/gho/publications/world_health_statistics/2012/en/

Plantas Medicinais e Fitoterapia no SUS

Link para o texto completo:

http://www.far.fiocruz.br/category/destaques/?print=print-search

Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz participa do 1º congresso internacional sobre Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde

O estande de Farmanguinhos recebeu cerca de 500 pessoas ao longo dos quatro dias de evento (Foto: Alexandre Matos)

O Brasil é o país que mais oferece práticas complementares para a saúde: são 29 no total. Algumas são bem conhecidas (homeopatia, acupuntura, yoga, meditação, plantas medicinais e fitoterapia), outras ainda carecem de mais entendimento para vencer a barreira do preconceito, tais como constelação familiar, cromoterapia, imposição de mãos e ozonioterapia. Neste cenário, o Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos (Farmanguinhos/Fiocruz) tem participado de discussões acerca da disponibilidade dessas terapias no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS).

Desta forma, a unidade participou do 1º Congresso Internacional de Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde Pública (Intercongrepics), realizado de 12 a 15/3 no centro de convenções Riocentro, na zona oeste do Rio. Organizado pelo Ministério da Saúde, o evento teve como objetivo ampliar o debate sobre a utilização e propagação dessas iniciativas nos sistemas nacionais de saúde, de modo a aprofundar o conhecimento e discutir os avanços alcançados a partir de sua incorporação, que tem sido uma das diretrizes da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS).

Neste sentido, Farmanguinhos foi representado pelo seu Núcleo de Gestão em Biodiversidade e Saúde (NGBS). A área propõe uma concepção inovadora de desenvolvimento de medicamentos da biodiversidade, na qual busca usar de maneira sustentável a riqueza natural do Brasil a partir de Arranjos Produtivos Locais (APLs). No encontro, que reuniu pesquisadores de 27 países, o Núcleo contribuiu com um estande, no qual pôde explicar aos visitantes o papel de Farmanguinhos e das RedesFito para disponibilização de fitoterápicos no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS).

Coordenadora das RedesFito, Fabiana Frickmann considera que o Congresso foi uma experiência importante para Farmanguinhos, visto que, além das parcerias firmadas, várias atividades ganharam visibilidade nacional e internacional (Foto: Alexandre Matos)

“Ao longo do evento, recebemos cerca de 500 pessoas em nosso estande, no qual pudemos ofertar conhecimento sobre a fitoterapia brasileira, disponibilizando Revistas Fitos (540 exemplares distribuídos), folders (mais de 400), divulgação sobre o curso de Gestão da Inovação em Fitomedicamentos, dentre outras informações”, explicou a coordenadora das RedesFito, Fabiana Frickmann.

O NGBS coordenou a mesa temática sobre O papel das RedesFito no desenvolvimento das políticas de promoção da fitoterapia do Ministério da Saúde. Fabiana Frickmann ministrou a palestra introdutória. A mesa seguiu com apresentações de coordenadores dos biomas Mata Atlântica (RJ e SP), Caatinga e Cerrado. Eles abordaram as experiências como articuladores da formação dos APLs para a promoção da fitoterapia no SUS. A mesa foi moderada pela editora da Revista Fitos, Rosane Abreu.

O Congrepics foi considerado uma experiência importante para Farmanguinhos, visto que, além das parcerias formalizadas, várias atividades ganharam visibilidade nacional e internacional. “Integramos importantes parceiros às RedesFito, como empresários, médicos, pesquisadores, terapeutas, professores e alunos. Divulgamos Curso de Especialização em Gestão da Inovação em Fitomedicamentos, que se mostrou muito atrativo para os profissionais das PICS (Práticas Integrativas e Complementares em Saúde). Além disso, atraímos a atenção do público para a Revistas Fitos, o que esperamos resultar em aumento na captação de novos artigos para a publicação”, avalia.

Além de participar da mesa temática, a colaboradora Amanda Valverde apresentou seu trabalho científico no qual revela os resultados da pesquisa sobre a introdução da fitoterapia no SUS do município fluminense de Paty do Alferes (Foto: Alexandre Matos)

O NGBS esteve também presente na exposição de trabalhos científicos. A colaboradora Amanda Valverde apresentou a pesquisa sobre a introdução da fitoterapia no SUS, que ela desenvolveu no município de Paty do Alferes (RJ). Dada a importância, o trabalho foi premiado em 2016 pelo Ministério da Saúde.

Dietary fiber protects against obesity and metabolic syndrome, study finds

Date: January 22, 2018 Source: Georgia State University Summary: Consumption of dietary fiber can prevent obesity, metabolic syndrome and adverse changes in the intestine by promoting growth of 'good' bacteria in the colon, according to a new study.

Consumption of dietary fiber can prevent obesity, metabolic syndrome and adverse changes in the intestine by promoting growth of "good" bacteria in the colon, according to a study led by Georgia State University.

The researchers found enriching the diet of mice with the fermentable fiber inulin prevented metabolic syndrome that is induced by a high-fat diet, and they identified specifically how this occurs in the body. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions closely linked to obesity that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. When these conditions occur together, they increase a person's risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are associated with alterations in gut microbiota, the microorganism population that lives in the intestine. Modern changes in dietary habits, particularly the consumption of processed foods lacking fiber, are believed to affect microbiota and contribute to the increase of chronic inflammatory disease, including metabolic syndrome. Studies have found a high-fat diet destroys gut microbiota, reduces the production of epithelial cells lining the intestine and causes gut bacteria to invade intestinal epithelial cells.

This study found the fermentable fiber inulin restored gut health and protected mice against metabolic syndrome induced by a high-fat diet by restoring gut microbiota levels, increasing the production of intestinal epithelial cells and restoring expression of the protein interleukin-22 (IL-22), which prevented gut microbiota from invading epithelial cells. The findings are published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe.

"We found that manipulating dietary fiber content, particularly by adding fermentable fiber, guards against metabolic syndrome," said Dr. Andrew Gewirtz, professor in the Institute for Biomedical Sciences at Georgia State. "This study revealed the specific mechanism used to restore gut health and suppress obesity and metabolic syndrome is the induction of IL-22 expression. These results contribute to the understanding of the mechanisms that underlie diet-induced obesity and offer insight into how fermentable fibers might promote better health."

For four weeks, the researchers fed mice either a grain-based rodent chow, a high-fat diet (high fat and low fiber content with 5 percent cellulose as a source of fiber) or a high-fat diet supplemented with fiber (either fermentable inulin fiber or insoluble cellulose fiber). The high-fat diet is linked to an increase in obesity and conditions associated with metabolic syndrome.

They discovered a diet supplemented with inulin reduced weight gain and noticeably reduced obesity induced by a high-fat diet, which was accompanied by a reduction in the size of fat cells. Dietary enrichment with inulin also markedly lowered cholesterol levels and largely prevented dysglycemia (abnormal blood sugar levels). The researchers found insoluble cellulose fiber only modestly reduced obesity and dysglycemia.

Supplementing the high-fat diet with inulin restored gut microbiota. However, inulin didn't restore the microbiota levels to those of mice fed a chow diet. A distinct difference in microbiota levels remained between mice fed a high-fat diet versus those fed a chow diet. Enrichment of high-fat diets with cellulose had a mild effect on microbiota levels.

In addition, the researchers found switching mice from a grain-based chow diet to a high-fat diet resulted in a loss of colon mass, which they believe contributes to low-grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome. When they switched mice back to a chow diet, the colon mass was fully restored.

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Journal Reference:
Jun Zou, Benoit Chassaing, Vishal Singh, Michael Pellizzon, Matthew Ricci, Michael D. Fythe, Matam Vijay Kumar, Andrew T. Gewirtz. Fiber-Mediated Nourishment of Gut Microbiota Protects against Diet-Induced Obesity by Restoring IL-22-Mediated Colonic Health. Cell Host & Microbe, 2018; 23 (1): 41 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2017.11.003

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Vitamin D supplements could ease painful IBS symptoms

Date: January 25, 2018 Source: University of Sheffield Summary: New research finds high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in IBS patients – regardless of their ethnicit.

Vitamin D supplements could help to ease painful Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) symptoms, a new study from the University of Sheffield has found.

Scientists from the University's Department of Oncology and Metabolism reviewed and integrated all available research on vitamin D and IBS -- a condition which affects two in 10 people in the UK.

The study showed a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in IBS patients -- regardless of their ethnicity.

The Sheffield team also assessed the possible benefits of vitamin D supplements on IBS symptoms. Whilst they believe more research still needs to be conducted, their findings suggested supplements may help to ease symptoms which can include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation. Vitamin D was shown to have the most benefit on quality of life in IBS.

Lead author of the study, Dr Bernard Corfe, said: "The study provides an insight into the condition and, importantly, a new way to try to manage it.

"It is evident from the findings that all people with IBS should have their vitamin D levels tested and a large majority of them would benefit from supplements.

"IBS is a poorly understood condition which impacts severely on the quality of life of sufferers. There is no single known cause and likewise no single known cure."

IBS is a debilitating functional disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Little is known about why and how the condition develops, although it is known that diet and stress can make symptoms worse.

The symptoms often cause embarrassment for patients meaning many live with the condition undiagnosed.

IBS accounts for 10 per cent of visits to GP surgeries and the condition has a significant and escalating burden on society as a consequence of lost work days and time spent on regular hospital appointments.

Vitamin D is essential for general wellbeing, including bone health, immune function, mental health as well as gut health. Vitamin D inadequacy can be remedied relatively easily with supplements if diagnosed.

Low vitamin D status has already been associated with the risk of colorectal cancer and has been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease.

The new study is published today (Thursday 25 January 2018) in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The University of Sheffield's Department of Oncology and Metabolism conducts world-class research from basic clinical and translational cancer research to life course research and basic level biology through to diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis.

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Journal Reference:
Claire E. Williams, Elizabeth A. Williams, Bernard M. Corfe. Vitamin D status in irritable bowel syndrome and the impact of supplementation on symptoms: what do we know and what do we need to know? European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2018; DOI: 10.1038/s41430-017-0064-z

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Breastfeeding may protect high-birthweight infants from childhood obesity

Date: March 18, 2018 Source: The Endocrine Society Summary: Breastfeeding may protect high-birthweight infants from having overweight or obesity as children, new research suggests.

Breastfeeding may protect high-birthweight infants from having overweight or obesity as children, new research from South Korea suggests. The results will be presented in a poster on Sunday, March 18 at ENDO 2018, the 100th annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Chicago, Ill.

"High birthweight is associated with overweight or obesity during early childhood. Among high-birthweight infants, exclusive breastfeeding is a significant protective factor against overweight and obesity," said lead study author Hae Soon Kim, M.D., of Ewha Womans University College of Medicine in Seoul.

High-birthweight infants were highly likely to meet the criteria for obesity or overweight through 6 years of age compared with normal birthweight infants. But the risk of becoming overweight or obese dropped significantly among the high-birthweight infants who were breastfed for first six months of life," Kim added.

In a retrospective cohort study, Kim and co-authors, all of Ewha Womans University College of Medicine, investigated the weight-growth trajectory and the protective effect of breastfeeding for obesity in children. They analyzed data between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2016 from the National Health Information Database (NHID) of Korea.

The researchers followed 38,039 participants who were completely eligible for all health checkups from birth through 6 years of age. At each check-up period, the authors examined the association between birthweight status and growth development.

Infants were assigned to one of three groups by birthweight: the low-birthweight group, less than or equal to 2,500 grams; the normal-birthweight group, over 2,500 grams and under 4,000 grams; and the high-birthweight group, 4,000 grams or more.

During the follow-up period, about 10 percent of the low-birthweight infants and 15 percent of the normal-birthweight developed obesity or overweight. By contrast, more than 25 percent of the high-birthweight infants met the criteria for obesity or overweight.

The high-birthweight infants were highly likely to be overweight or have obesity compared with normal birthweight infants through 6 years of age, and the low-birthweight infants were highly likely to be underweight through 6 years of age.

But the risk of overweight or obesity decreased significantly if high-birthweight infants were exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life.

"The increase in the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity, which began in the 1970s, has grown into a global epidemic. Obesity persists from childhood to adolescence and into adulthood and is a leading cause of health problems," the authors cautioned in their abstract.

The Ministry of Health & Welfare of the Republic of Korea funded the study.

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Mediterranean diet is linked to higher muscle mass, bone density after menopause

Date: March 18, 2018 Source: The Endocrine Society Summary: The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet also appears to be good for an older woman's bones and muscles, a new study of postmenopausal women in Brazil finds.

The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet also appears to be good for an older woman's bones and muscles, a new study of postmenopausal women in Brazil finds. The study results will be presented Monday at ENDO 2018, the Endocrine Society's 100th annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

The researchers reported finding higher bone mass and muscle mass in postmenopausal women who adhered to a Mediterranean diet than in those who did not. This way of eating involves a high intake of fruits and vegetables, grains, potatoes, olive oil and seeds; moderately high fish intake; low saturated fat, dairy and red meat consumption; and regular but moderate drinking of red wine. The Mediterranean diet has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and certain other chronic diseases.

Few studies, however, are available about the Mediterranean diet and its effects on body composition after menopause, said the study's lead investigator, Thais Rasia Silva, Ph.D., a postdoctoral student at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil. This information is important, she said, because menopause, with its decline in estrogen, speeds a woman's loss of bone mass, increasing her risk of the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis and broken bones. In addition, menopause and aging reduce muscle mass. Silva said declines in skeletal muscle mass and strength in older people are major contributors to increased illness, reduced quality of life and higher death rates.

Silva and her co-workers conducted their study in 103 healthy women from southern Brazil, who had an average age of 55 and who had gone through menopause 5.5 years earlier, on average. All women underwent bone scans to measure their bone mineral density, total body fat and appendicular lean mass, which was used to estimate skeletal muscle mass. The subjects also completed a food questionnaire about what they ate in the past month.

A higher Mediterranean diet score (MDS), meaning better adherence to the Mediterranean diet, was significantly associated with higher bone mineral density measured at the lumbar spine and with greater muscle mass, Silva reported. This association, she said, was independent of whether the women used hormone therapy previously, their prior smoking behavior or their current level of physical activity, as measured by wearing a pedometer for six days.

"We found that the Mediterranean diet could be a useful nonmedical strategy for the prevention of osteoporosis and fractures in postmenopausal women," Silva said.

Given the many health benefits of the Mediterranean diet, Silva added, "Postmenopausal women, especially those with low bone mass, should ask their doctor whether they might benefit from consuming this dietary pattern."

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Chemicals in lavender and tea tree oil appear to be hormone disruptors

Date: March 18, 2018 Source: The Endocrine Society Summary: A new study lends further evidence to a suspected link between abnormal breast growth in young boys -- called prepubertal gynecomastia -- and regular exposure to lavender or tea tree oil, by finding that key chemicals in these common plant-derived oils act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

A new study lends further evidence to a suspected link between abnormal breast growth in young boys -- called prepubertal gynecomastia -- and regular exposure to lavender or tea tree oil, by finding that key chemicals in these common plant-derived oils act as endocrine-disrupting chemicals. The study results will be presented Monday at ENDO 2018, the Endocrine Society's 100th annual meeting in Chicago.

Lavender and tea tree oil are among the so-called essential oils that have become popular in the United States as alternatives for medical treatment, personal hygiene and cleaning products, and aromatherapy. Various consumer products contain lavender and tea tree oil, including some soaps, lotions, shampoos, hair-styling products, cologne and laundry detergents.

"Our society deems essential oils as safe," said study lead investigator J. Tyler Ramsey, a postbaccalaureate research fellow at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. "However, they possess a diverse amount of chemicals and should be used with caution because some of these chemicals are potential endocrine disruptors."

An endocrine-disrupting chemical is a chemical in the environment that interferes with hormones and their actions in the body.

Male gynecomastia occurring before puberty is relatively rare, but a growing amount of cases have been reported to coincide with topical exposure to lavender and tea tree oil, and the condition went away after the boys stopped using the oil-containing products, Ramsey said. Researchers at the NIEHS, including Kenneth Korach, Ph.D., a co-investigator for the new study, previously found laboratory evidence that lavender and tea tree oil have estrogenic (estrogen-like) properties and anti-androgenic (testosterone inhibiting-like) activities, meaning they compete or hinder the hormones that control male characteristics, which could affect puberty and growth.

Under Korach's direction, Ramsey and his NIEHS colleagues went a step further. From the hundreds of chemicals that comprise lavender and tea tree oil, they selected for analysis eight components that are common and mandated for inclusion in the oils. Four of the tested chemicals appear in both oils: eucalyptol, 4-terpineol, dipentene/limonene and alpha-terpineol. The others were in either oil: linalyl acetate, linalool, alpha-terpinene and gamma-terpinene. Using in vitro, or test tube, experiments, the researchers applied these chemicals to human cancer cells to measure changes of estrogen receptor- and androgen receptor-target genes and transcriptional activity.

All eight chemicals demonstrated varying estrogenic and/or anti-androgenic properties, with some showing high or little to no activity, the investigators reported. Ramsey said these changes were consistent with endogenous, or bodily, hormonal conditions that stimulate gynecomastia in prepubescent boys.

"Lavender oil and tea tree oil pose potential environmental health concerns and should be investigated further," he said.

Of further concern, according to Ramsey, is that many of the chemicals they tested appear in at least 65 other essential oils. Essential oils are available without a prescription and are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Thus, the public should be aware of these findings and consider all evidence before deciding to use essential oils. The NIEHS Division of Intramural Research funded this study through its support of Korach.

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Mono-unsaturated fats from plants, not animals may reduce risk of death from heart disease and other causes

Date: March 21, 2018 Source: American Heart Association Summary: Diets rich in mono-unsaturated fats from plants may lower the risk of death from heart disease and other causes. The largest reductions in the risk of death were found when healthy fats from plant sources replaced saturated fats, trans fats and refined carbohydrates.
 

Diets rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids from plants were associated with a lower risk of dying from heart disease or other causes compared to diets rich in mono-unsaturated fats from animals, which were linked to a higher risk of death from heart disease or other causes, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2018, a premier global exchange of the latest advances in population based cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians.

"Our results emphasize the importance of the source and quantity of mono-unsaturated fatty acids in the diet -- we should eat more mono-unsaturated fatty acids from plant sources and less mono-unsaturated fatty acids from animal sources," said Marta Guasch-Ferré, Ph.D., a research associate and one of the lead authors of this study along with Geng Zong, Ph.D., a research fellow. Both are at the Harvard School T.H. Chan of Public Health in Boston.

Mono-unsaturated fats are usually liquid at room temperature and solidify when refrigerated. Sources of plant-based mono-unsaturated fats include olive and other vegetable oils, avocados and many nuts and seeds. Sources of animal-based mono-unsaturated fats include full-fat dairy products, eggs, poultry, red meats and fish.

To assess the impact of mono-unsaturated fatty acids consumption on death from cardiovascular disease and other causes, researchers used data from 63,412 women from the Nurses' Health Study and 29,966 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. Both studies used detailed food-frequency questionnaires administered every four years to evaluate the composition of the participants' diets. This type of observational study can identify a trend among the participants but cannot prove cause and effect.

During an average 22 years of follow-up, there were 20,672 deaths among participants, 4,588 of them from heart disease. Analyzing the diet information, the researchers found:

1. Participants with a higher intake of mono-unsaturated fatty acids from plants had a 16 percent lower risk of death from any cause compared to those with lower intakes.
2. Participants with a higher intake of mono-unsaturated fatty acids from animals had a 21 percent higher risk of death from any cause.
3. Replacing saturated fats, refined carbohydrates (like simple sugars) or trans fats with an equal number of calories (2 percent -- 5 percent of the total) from mono-unsaturated fatty acids from plants might lower the risk of heart disease deaths and death from any cause between 10 percent and15 percent.
4. Replacing mono-unsaturated fatty acids from animals with an equal amount of calories (5 percent of the total) of mono-unsaturated fatty acids from animals might lower the risk of heart disease deaths and deaths from any cause between 24 percent to 26 percent.

In the study, the risks were adjusted to account for several known factors that could influence the risk of death, including ethnicity; smoking status; intake of alcohol, fruits and vegetables and total calories; family history of chronic diseases; physical activity; body mass index; and heart disease risk factors when participants enrolled. The results should be interpreted with caution because the study relied on the participants' self-reporting what they ate and because participants consuming higher amounts of plant-based foods may be more health conscious in general.

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