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Effects of dietary supplements on athletic performance in elite soccer players: a systematic review.Journal of the International Society of... Dec 2023Dietary supplements are widely used among athletes, and soccer players are no exception. Nevertheless, evidence supporting the use of dietary supplements aiming to... (Review)
Review
Dietary supplements are widely used among athletes, and soccer players are no exception. Nevertheless, evidence supporting the use of dietary supplements aiming to enhance performance in soccer is somewhat contradictory, scarce, or even nonexistent. Thus, the present study aimed to systematically review and synthesize the effects of dietary supplements on athletic performance (e.g. distance covered, sprinting, jump performance) in elite soccer players. Studies enrolling highly trained, elite, and world-class soccer players using dietary supplements were searched in MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and EBSCO databases in June 2022. In total, 1043 studies were identified, and 18 met the eligibility criteria. The studies evaluated the impacts on athletic performance of several dietary supplements, including caffeine, creatine, protein, beverages with carbohydrates and electrolytes, tart cherry juice, nitrate-rich beetroot juice, sodium bicarbonate with minerals, yohimbine, and a proprietary nutraceutical blend. Caffeine supplementation in doses between 3 and 6 mg/kg of body mass may improve jump height and sprint ability, particularly in female players, but individual response to caffeine must be considered. Creatine may improve sprint, agility, and in female players, jump performance. Protein supplementation can improve sprint and jump performance between matches, especially if protein ingested from food is not up to recommendations. Beverages containing carbohydrates and electrolytes can be used as part of the strategies to achieve carbohydrate intake during training and match-days but used alone do not benefit athletic performance. Tart cherry juice might be useful for maintaining athletic performance after matches that produce higher force loss and exercise-induced muscle damage, although polyphenols from the diet might attenuate the effects of tart cherry supplementation. Nitrate-rich beetroot concentrate can attenuate performance decrease in the days following matches. Further investigation with sodium bicarbonate alone is necessary, as supplementation protocols with elite players included other substances. Finally, the available data does not support yohimbine supplementation or the use of Resurgex Plus® to improve athletic performance in elite soccer players. Still, more well-designed research with elite soccer players is needed to improve support and advice regarding the use of dietary supplements for athletic performance enhancement.
Topics: Humans; Female; Soccer; Caffeine; Sodium Bicarbonate; Creatine; Nitrates; Athletic Performance; Dietary Supplements; Electrolytes; Carbohydrates
PubMed: 37462346
DOI: 10.1080/15502783.2023.2236060 -
The American Journal of Geriatric... Jan 2024Emerging evidence suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may exert positive effects in patients with depression. Our aim was to conduct a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
AIM/HYPOTHESIS
Emerging evidence suggests that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) may exert positive effects in patients with depression. Our aim was to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine the antidepressant effects of GLP-1RAs.
METHODS
Randomized controlled trials and prospective cohort studies investigating the effects of GLP-1RAs versus placebo or other antidiabetic therapies on depressive symptoms were searched for using multiple electronic sources (CENTRAL, PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov, China Network Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biomedical Database, Wan Fang data, and Chinese Scientific Journals Database) from inception to February 16, 2023. We utilized a random effects model to analyze standardized mean differences for the change in depression rating scales comparing GLP-1RA treated groups with control treated groups.
RESULTS
The meta-analysis comprising 2,071 participants included 5 randomized controlled trials and 1 prospective cohort study. The meta-analysis indicated that the change from baseline in depression rating scale scores decreased significantly when patients received treatment with GLP-1RAs compared to control treatments (SMD = -0.12, 95% CI [-0.21, -0.03], p <0.01, I = 0%, p = 0.52). The subgroup analysis showed that the effects of GLP-1RAs on depressive symptoms were consistent in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (SMD = -0.12, 95% CI [-0.21, -0.03], p <0.01, I = 2%, p = 0.40).
CONCLUSIONS
Adults treated with GLP-1RAs showed significant reductions in the depression rating scale scores compared to those treated with control substances. Our findings suggest that GLP-1RAs may be a potential treatment for alleviating depressive symptoms in humans.
Topics: Humans; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists; Prospective Studies; Hypoglycemic Agents; Antidepressive Agents
PubMed: 37684186
DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2023.08.010 -
Neuropsychopharmacology : Official... Mar 2024While pharmacological, behavioral and psychosocial treatments are available for substance use disorders (SUDs), they are not always effective or well-tolerated.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
While pharmacological, behavioral and psychosocial treatments are available for substance use disorders (SUDs), they are not always effective or well-tolerated. Neuromodulation (NM) methods, including repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) may address SUDs by targeting addiction neurocircuitry. We evaluated the efficacy of NM to improve behavioral outcomes in SUDs. A systematic literature search was performed on MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and PubMed databases and a list of search terms for four key concepts (SUD, rTMS, tDCS, DBS) was applied. Ninety-four studies were identified that examined the effects of rTMS, tDCS, and DBS on substance use outcomes (e.g., craving, consumption, and relapse) amongst individuals with SUDs including alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, stimulants, and opioids. Meta-analyses were performed for alcohol and tobacco studies using rTMS and tDCS. We found that rTMS reduced substance use and craving, as indicated by medium to large effect sizes (Hedge's g > 0.5). Results were most encouraging when multiple stimulation sessions were applied, and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was targeted. tDCS also produced medium effect sizes for drug use and craving, though they were highly variable and less robust than rTMS; right anodal DLPFC stimulation appeared to be most efficacious. DBS studies were typically small, uncontrolled studies, but showed promise in reducing misuse of multiple substances. NM may be promising for the treatment of SUDs. Future studies should determine underlying neural mechanisms of NM, and further evaluate extended treatment durations, accelerated administration protocols and long-term outcomes with biochemical verification of substance use.
Topics: Humans; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation; Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation; Substance-Related Disorders; Behavior, Addictive; Craving; Prefrontal Cortex
PubMed: 38086901
DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01776-0 -
European Neuropsychopharmacology : the... Jul 2023The endocannabinoid system is a promising candidate for anxiolytic therapy, but translation to the clinic has been lagging. We meta-analyzed the evidence for... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
The endocannabinoid system is a promising candidate for anxiolytic therapy, but translation to the clinic has been lagging. We meta-analyzed the evidence for anxiety-reduction by compounds that facilitate endocannabinoid signaling in humans and animals. To identify areas of specific potential, effects of moderators were assessed. Literature was searched in Pubmed and Embase up to May 2021. A placebo/vehicle-control group was required and in human studies, randomization. We excluded studies that co-administered other substances. Risk of bias was assessed with SYRCLE's RoB tool and Cochrane RoB 2.0. We conducted three-level random effects meta-analyses and explored sources of heterogeneity using Bayesian regularized meta-regression (BRMA). The systematic review yielded 134 studies. We analyzed 120 studies (114 animal, 6 human) that investigated cannabidiol (CBD, 61), URB597 (39), PF-3845 (6) and AM404 (14). Pooled effects on conditioned and unconditioned anxiety in animals (with the exception of URB597 on unconditioned anxiety) and on experimentally induced anxiety in humans favored the investigational drugs over placebo/vehicle. Publication year was negatively associated with effects of CBD on unconditioned anxiety. Compared to approach avoidance tests, tests of repetitive-compulsive behavior were associated with larger effects of CBD and URB597, and the social interaction test with smaller effects of URB597. Larger effects of CBD on unconditioned anxiety were observed when anxiety pre-existed. Studies reported few side effects at therapeutic doses. The evidence quality was low with indications of publication bias. More clinical trials are needed to translate the overall positive results to clinical applications.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Anti-Anxiety Agents; Endocannabinoids; Bayes Theorem; Anxiety; Cannabidiol
PubMed: 37094409
DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2023.04.001 -
Nutrients Aug 2023β-alanine does not have an ergogenic effect by itself, but it does as a precursor for the synthesis of carnosine in human skeletal muscle. β-alanine and carnosine... (Review)
Review
β-Alanine Supplementation in Combat Sports: Evaluation of Sports Performance, Perception, and Anthropometric Parameters and Biochemical Markers-A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials.
β-alanine does not have an ergogenic effect by itself, but it does as a precursor for the synthesis of carnosine in human skeletal muscle. β-alanine and carnosine together help improve the muscles' functionality, especially in high-intensity exercises such as combat sports. Therefore, β-alanine could be considered a nutritional ergogenic aid to improve sports performance in combat athletes. We aimed to critically review clinical trial evidence on the impact of β-alanine supplementation on sports performance, perception, and anthropometric parameters, as well as circulating biochemical markers in combat athletes. This systematic review was conducted following the specific methodological guidelines of the Preferred Report Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA), the PICOS question model, the Critical Review Form of McMaster, and the PEDro scale. Furthermore, the Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool was used. The search was carried out in the SCOPUS, Web of Science (WOS), and Medline (PubMed) databases for studies published from the beginning of the database until July 31, 2023. Of the 41 registers identified, only 7 met the established criteria and were included in this systematic review. Overall, performance parameters related to strength, power, total exercise work capacity, and combat-specific parameters were significantly improved ( < 0.05). Perception parameters increased non-significantly ( > 0.05). Regarding biochemical parameters, carnosine increased significantly ( < 0.05), pH decreased non-significantly ( > 0.05), and the results for blood bicarbonate and blood lactate were heterogeneous. Finally, there was a non-significant ( > 0.05) improvement in the anthropometric parameters of lean mass and fat mass. β-alanine supplementation appears to be safe and could be a suitable nutritional ergogenic aid for combat athletes.
Topics: Humans; Athletes; Athletic Performance; Carnosine; Dietary Supplements; Perception; Performance-Enhancing Substances; Clinical Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37686787
DOI: 10.3390/nu15173755 -
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews Aug 2023Oxytocin is gaining traction in the treatment of various substance use disorders (SUD). We performed a systematic review assessing the efficacy of oxytocin for treating... (Review)
Review
Oxytocin is gaining traction in the treatment of various substance use disorders (SUD). We performed a systematic review assessing the efficacy of oxytocin for treating different SUD. The electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews were searched for randomized controlled trials examining the effects of oxytocin vs. placebo in SUD samples. Quality assessment was conducted using a Cochrane validated checklist. A total of 17 trials with unique samples were identified. These were conducted on participants with SUD involving alcohol (n = 5), opioids (n = 3), opioids and/or cocaine/other stimulants (n = 3), cannabis (n = 2), or nicotine (n = 4). Across the SUD-groups, oxytocin reduced withdrawal symptoms (3/5 trials), negative emotional states (4/11 trials), cravings (4/11 trials), cue-induced cravings (4/7 trials), and consumption (4/8 trials). Sixteen trials had an overall considerable risk of bias. In conclusion, although oxytocin showed some promising therapeutic effects, the findings are too inconsistent and the trials too heterogeneous to derive any firm conclusions. Sounder methodological and well-powered trials are warranted.
Topics: Humans; Oxytocin; Analgesics, Opioid; Substance-Related Disorders; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37119993
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105185 -
Annals of Medicine Dec 2024Ischaemic encephalopathy is a common cerebrovascular disease caused by insufficient blood supply to the cerebral vessels. The ischaemic encephalopathy is closely...
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Ischaemic encephalopathy is a common cerebrovascular disease caused by insufficient blood supply to the cerebral vessels. The ischaemic encephalopathy is closely associated with the development of many chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes. Neurotrophic therapy has become the main therapeutic strategy for ischaemic encephalopathy. However, neurotrophic drugs only slightly recover the neurological function of patients, and their long-term efficacy is uncertain. Previous reports revealed that the active ingredients of natural medicines play important roles in the treatment of cerebral ischemia. In this study, we reviewed clearing herbs with anti-ischaemic encephalopathy functions using the data from quantitative statistical and network pharmacological exploration methods. We also discussed the different bioactive components and pharmacological effects of these herbs.
METHODS
First, we collected Chinese herbal prescriptions against ischaemic encephalopathy in four databases. Then, we statistically analysed the frequency of application of heat-clearing herbs to obtain the commonly used heat-clearing herbs against ischaemic encephalopathy, and classified them according to their efficacy according to the statistical results, to summarize the mechanism of anti-ischaemic effects of different bioactive components; Second, the network database was used to obtain the above components of heat-clearing Chinese medicines and their corresponding targets of action, disease targets of ischaemic stroke; Venny 2.1.0 was used to obtain component-disease target intersections; Cytoscape was used to construct the 'Drug-Active Ingredient-Target Network Graph '; DAVID was used for GO and KEGG enrichment analysis.
RESULTS
Literature and database screening involved 149 prescriptions, with a total of 269 flavours of Chinese medicines and 20 flavours of single-flavour heat-clearing Chinese medicines; The top nine in terms of frequency of use were Radix Paeoniae Rubra、Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata、Figwort Root、Cortex Moutan、Scutellariae Radix、Coptidis Rhizoma、Gardeniae Fructus、Cassiae Semen、Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. The common components obtained from network pharmacology were beta-sitosterol, quercetin, and stigmasterol, which mainly act on key targets such as RELA, AKT1, JUN, PRKACA, PTGS2, RAF1 and CHUK; and their active ingredients are mainly involved in signalling pathways such as Calcium, PI3K-Ak, MAPK, cAMP, IL-17, HIF-1, TNF, T-cell receptor, NF-kappa B and JAK-STAT.
CONCLUSIONS
Heat-clearing herbs are useful and promising for the protection against and prevention of ischemic encephalopathy. The results of the network pharmacological studies are similar to the mechanisms of anti-ischemic encephalopathy of the active ingredients of the purgative herbs we have listed; Thin either directly protects cerebrovascular tissues by improving vascular permeability and reducing the area of infarcted tissues, or produces protective effects through molecular signaling pathways. It can be seen that the components of heat-clearing Chinese medicines can exert cerebroprotective effects through multiple pathways, which provides us with a reference for further development and study of heat-clearing Chinese medicines in the treatment of ischemic cerebrovascular diseases.
Topics: Humans; Brain Ischemia; Hot Temperature; Network Pharmacology; Stroke; Ischemic Stroke
PubMed: 38285889
DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2308077 -
International Journal of Environmental... Dec 2023Language development starts during the fetal period when the brain is sensitive to endocrine disruptions from environmental contaminants. This systematic review aims to... (Review)
Review
Language development starts during the fetal period when the brain is sensitive to endocrine disruptions from environmental contaminants. This systematic review aims to systematically summarize the existing literature on early-life exposure to PFAS and children's language and communication development, which is an indicator of neurocognitive development. A structured literature search was conducted using three databases, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL, last updated in April 2023. The population was defined as children and young adults. PFAS exposure was assessed pre- or postnatally. The outcome was defined as a language and communication ability assessed with validated instruments, parental self-reports, or clinical language disorder diagnoses. In total, 15 studies were identified for subsequent analyses. Thirteen were performed in background-exposed populations and two in highly exposed populations. There were some indications of potential adverse effects; however, these were not consistent across child sex, age of assessment, or PFAS exposure levels. No systematic effect of early-life PFAS exposure on language and communication development was found. These inconclusive findings may partly be explained by the use of general test instruments with limited validity as to children's language and communication development. Further studies over a wider exposure range using specific language test instruments are needed.
Topics: Child; Female; Young Adult; Humans; Child Language; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; Fluorocarbons; Language Development; Communication; Environmental Pollutants; Alkanesulfonic Acids
PubMed: 38131721
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20247170 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) Nov 2023: More than a billion people worldwide suffer from chronic periodontitis. The primary etiological factor of periodontal diseases is dental plaque and the bacteria it... (Review)
Review
: More than a billion people worldwide suffer from chronic periodontitis. The primary etiological factor of periodontal diseases is dental plaque and the bacteria it contains, particularly , , , , and . Zinc, owing to its antibacterial properties, can be employed in periodontology. The objective of this review was to analyze scientific literature that examines the effects of zinc on periopathogens. : A systematic review protocol of scientific literature was designed following PRISMA recommendations. Data search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect databases. Full-text articles in English that examine the effects of zinc on periopathogens and were published between 2011 and 2021 were included. Fifteen articles were included in the analysis based on inclusion criteria. ZnO exhibited antibacterial activity against and ( < 0.001). The minimum inhibitory concentration against was 10 μg/mL. ZnO demonstrated a significant antibacterial effect, as evidenced by inhibition zones of 15.10 mm for , 13.36 mm for , 12.98 mm for , and 14.01 mm for Zn (II)-based polymers inhibited the and genes of . Titanium dental implants coated with ZnO effectively disrupted the cell walls of and . ZnO inhibited the growth of within 2 h and the growth of and within 3 h. ZnO exhibited nontoxic effects, and concentrations up to 0.8 mg/L increased cell survival rates by up to 90%. The analysis of the literature confirms the antibacterial action of zinc against periodontal pathogenic bacteria. At low concentrations, these substances do not exhibit cytotoxic effects on fibroblasts.
Topics: Humans; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; Chronic Periodontitis; Organic Chemicals; Porphyromonas gingivalis; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Zinc; Zinc Oxide
PubMed: 38138191
DOI: 10.3390/medicina59122088 -
Research in Social & Administrative... Jun 2024Early identification and treatment of mental illnesses is imperative for optimal patient outcomes. Pharmacists may play an important role in mental healthcare through... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Early identification and treatment of mental illnesses is imperative for optimal patient outcomes. Pharmacists may play an important role in mental healthcare through the provision of screening services for mental illnesses.
OBJECTIVE
(s): To systematically review the impact of pharmacist-led mental illness screening on clinical or patient-reported outcomes and identify and report any follow-up or referral systems used in pharmacist-led screening interventions for mental illnesses.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted by searching MEDLINE, CINAHL, Embase and APA PsycInfo via EBSCOhost from inception to 9 March 2023 to identify studies involving pharmacist-led screening interventions for mental illnesses. Data was collected on the mental illness in question, setting and population characteristics, screening tools used, clinical or patient-reported outcomes, and follow-up and referral systems reported.
RESULTS
Twenty six studies were identified that related to screening for mental illnesses, such as depressive disorders and substance use disorders. There were a variety of study designs, including uncontrolled studies (n = 23), pre-post studies (n = 2) and randomised controlled trials (n = 1). Screening was conducted in different settings, with most studies conducted in community pharmacies (n = 21/26, 87.8 %) and focusing on depression screening (n = 12/26, 46.1 %). A range of follow-up and referral methods to other healthcare professionals were reported, including verbal (n = 3/26, 11.5 %), both written and verbal (n = 3/26, 11.5 %), communications via electronic health record (n = 2/26, 7.7 %) and written (n = 1/26, 3.8 %).
CONCLUSIONS
Pharmacists provide screening for a variety of mental illnesses in different settings. Various referral methods and follow-up pathways may be utilised for post-screening patient care. However, current evidence is insufficient to establish improvements in early detection, treatment, or outcomes. Further large, well-designed studies are required to support the role of pharmacists in mental illness screening, provide evidence on the impact of pharmacist-led mental illness screening services and inform the most effective follow up and referral methods.
PubMed: 38866605
DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2024.06.001