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International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2023Over the past few years, the number of people who have avoided animal products has been rising steadily. A plant-based diet is associated with a healthier lifestyle and... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
Over the past few years, the number of people who have avoided animal products has been rising steadily. A plant-based diet is associated with a healthier lifestyle and has positive effects on various diseases. More and more healthy active people and performance-orientated athletes are giving up animal products for various reasons, such as for an improved performance or faster regeneration. However, the data in this context are limited. This study aimed to obtain initial findings on the influence of a diet change to veganism on the performance of strength-trained individuals. For this study, a total of 15 omnivorous individuals were recruited. They documented their dietary food intakes over 16 weeks. Every four weeks, the strength performance was tested via a leg press and bench press. In the first 8 weeks, the participants maintained their omnivorous diet, followed by 8 weeks of a vegan dietary phase. In total, 10 subjects participated successfully, and their data were part of the statistical analyses. There was no difference in the absolute and relative strength performance for the leg and bench press after changing to a vegan diet. For the total calorie intake and carbohydrates, only a small treatment effect, but no time effect, was observed. However, for the protein intake, a time and group effect were detected. In addition, the relative protein intake decreased significantly and was lower than the current recommendations for athletes. The results demonstrate that a change to a vegan diet has no beneficial nor negative effect on the strength performance when the total calorie intake and carbohydrate content are covered in the first 8 weeks.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Pilot Projects; Diet; Diet, Vegan; Energy Intake; Vegans
PubMed: 36767221
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031856 -
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics 2022
Topics: Diet; Diet, Healthy; Diet, Mediterranean; Health Status; Humans; Longevity
PubMed: 35785550
DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2022.104761 -
Nutrients Feb 2022The consumption of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet (ketogenic diet) has diverse effects on health and is expected to have therapeutic value in neurological disorders,... (Review)
Review
The consumption of a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet (ketogenic diet) has diverse effects on health and is expected to have therapeutic value in neurological disorders, metabolic syndrome, and cancer. Recent studies have shown that a ketogenic diet not only pronouncedly shifts the cellular metabolism to pseudo-starvation, but also exerts a variety of physiological functions on various organs through metabolites that act as energy substrates, signaling molecules, and epigenetic modifiers. In this review, we highlight the latest findings on the molecular mechanisms of a ketogenic diet and speculate on the significance of these functions in the context of the epigenome and microbiome. Unraveling the molecular basis of the bioactive effects of a ketogenic diet should provide solid evidence for its clinical application in a variety of diseases including cancer.
Topics: Diet, Carbohydrate-Restricted; Diet, High-Fat; Diet, Ketogenic; Humans; Microbiota; Nervous System Diseases
PubMed: 35215432
DOI: 10.3390/nu14040782 -
Current Vascular Pharmacology 2023Cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally. Besides lack of exercise, obesity, smoking, and other risk factors, poor nutrition and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally. Besides lack of exercise, obesity, smoking, and other risk factors, poor nutrition and unhealthy/ unbalanced diets play an important role in CVD.
OBJECTIVE
This review examined data on all issues of the CV-health benefits of a balanced diet, with tabulation of nutritional data and health-authority recommendations and pictorial illustration of the main features of a CV-healthy diet.
METHODS
PubMed and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies and reviews on diet and CV health.
RESULTS
For a long time, there has been evidence, corroborated by recent findings, that pro-vegetarian diets have a beneficial influence on serum lipid levels, markers of inflammation and endothelial function, prooxidant-antioxidant balance, and gut microbiome, all probably contributing to reduced CV risk. Worries about the nutritional adequacy of vegetarian diets are circumvented by obtaining certain nutrients lacking or found in lower amounts in plants than in animal foods, by consuming a wide variety of healthy plant foods and through intake of oral supplements or fortified foods. Well-balanced diets, such as the Mediterranean or the Dietary-Approaches-to-Stop-Hypertension diets, provide CV-health benefits. Nevertheless, a broad variety of plant-based diets with low/minimal animal food intake may allow for a personalized and culturally adjusted application of dietary recommendations contributing to the maintenance of CV health.
CONCLUSION
Universal adoption of a balanced CV-healthy diet can reduce global, CV and other mortality by ~20%. This requires world-wide programs of information for and education of the public, starting with school children and expanding to all groups, sectors, and levels.
Topics: Animals; Diet, Healthy; Diet; Diet, Vegetarian; Antioxidants; Cardiovascular Diseases
PubMed: 36974413
DOI: 10.2174/1570161121666230327135916 -
Alternative Therapies in Health and... Oct 2023Despite growing interest in nutrition as a behavioral intervention to improve cognitive health in clinical populations, many providers find it challenging to provide... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Despite growing interest in nutrition as a behavioral intervention to improve cognitive health in clinical populations, many providers find it challenging to provide specific nutritional recommendations. We aimed to review and synthesize current empirical research on this topic and provide considerations for healthcare providers working with adults who wish to optimize their cognition via dietary improvements.
METHODS
We performed a narrative review of research published between January 2009 and May 2021 on 5 popular dietary interventions: the Mediterranean diet, Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH), the Mediterranean-DASH Intervention Diet for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
Of the 5 dietary interventions, the Mediterranean diet has been the most extensively investigated, and there is evidence supporting its cognitive benefits. However, operationalization of the Mediterranean diet varies across studies, rendering the results inconclusive. The DASH diet and the MIND diet have stronger operationalization and showed evidence of cognitive benefits. More longitudinal studies and/or randomized clinical trials should be conducted on these 2 relatively new interventions. Finally, there is limited research with human participants regarding the ketogenic diet and intermittent fasting, which are found to be cognitively protective within stringent parameters. Definitions for these 5 dietary patterns and practice tips and recommendations are provided.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Diet; Nutritional Status; Diet, Mediterranean; Dietary Approaches To Stop Hypertension; Cognition
PubMed: 35180098
DOI: No ID Found -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2022Food strategies are currently used to improve inflammation and oxidative stress conditions in chronic pain which contributes to a better quality of life for patients....
The Effectiveness of Intermittent Fasting, Time Restricted Feeding, Caloric Restriction, a Ketogenic Diet and the Mediterranean Diet as Part of the Treatment Plan to Improve Health and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review.
Food strategies are currently used to improve inflammation and oxidative stress conditions in chronic pain which contributes to a better quality of life for patients. The main purpose of this systematic review is to analyze the effectiveness of different dietary strategies as part of the treatment plan for patients suffering from chronic pain and decreased health. PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, Scopus, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cambridge Core, and Oxford Academy databases were used to review and to appraise the literature. Randomized clinical trials (RCT), observational studies, and systematic reviews published within the last 6 years were included. The Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale, the PEDro Internal Validity (PVI), the Standard Quality Assessment Criteria for Evaluating Primary Research Papers from a variety of fields (QUALSYT), and the Quality Assessment Tool of Systematic Reviews scale were used to evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies. A total of 16 articles were included, of which 11 were RCTs and 5 were observational studies. Six of them showed an improvement in pain assessment, while two studies showed the opposite. Inflammation was shown to be decreased in four studies, while one did not show a decrease. The quality of life was shown to have improved in five studies. All of the selected studies obtained good methodological quality in their assessment scales. In the PVI, one RCT showed good internal validity, five RCTs showed moderate internal quality, while five of them were limited. Current research shows that consensus on the effects of an IF diet on pain improvement, in either the short or the long term, is lacking. A caloric restriction diet may be a good long term treatment option for people suffering from pain. Time restricted food and ketogenic diets may improve the quality of life in chronic conditions. However, more studies analyzing the effects of different nutritional strategies, not only in isolation but in combination with other therapies in the short and the long term, are needed.
Topics: Caloric Restriction; Chronic Pain; Diet, Ketogenic; Diet, Mediterranean; Fasting; Humans; Inflammation; Musculoskeletal Pain
PubMed: 35682282
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116698 -
Eating and Weight Disorders : EWD Dec 2021
Topics: Diet; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Humans; Orthorexia Nervosa; Vegans; Vegetarians
PubMed: 33630255
DOI: 10.1007/s40519-021-01135-2 -
Seminars in Cancer Biology Aug 2021
Topics: Animals; Diet; Humans; Lipid Metabolism; Lipids; Neoplasms; Risk Factors
PubMed: 34015466
DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.05.015 -
Journal of Diabetes Research 2023Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern in which individuals go extended periods with little or no energy intake after consuming regular food in intervening... (Review)
Review
Intermittent fasting (IF) is an eating pattern in which individuals go extended periods with little or no energy intake after consuming regular food in intervening periods. IF has several health-promoting effects. It can effectively reduce weight, fasting insulin levels, and blood glucose levels. It can also increase the antitumor activity of medicines and cause improvement in the case of neurological diseases, such as memory deficit, to achieve enhanced metabolic function and prolonged longevity. Additionally, IF activates several biological pathways to induce autophagy, encourages cell renewal, prevents cancer cells from multiplying and spreading, and delays senescence. However, IF has specific adverse effects and limitations when it comes to people of a particular age and gender. Hence, a more systematic study on the health-promoting effects and safety of IF is needed. This article reviewed the research on the health-promoting effects of IF, providing a theoretical basis, direction for subsequent basic research, and information related to the clinical application of IF.
Topics: Humans; Intermittent Fasting; Fasting; Feeding Behavior; Energy Intake; Diet, Reducing
PubMed: 36911497
DOI: 10.1155/2023/4038546 -
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition Jun 2022Within the last decades, plant-based diets have received increasing interest for their potential benefits to human and environmental health. The concept of plant-based... (Review)
Review
Within the last decades, plant-based diets have received increasing interest for their potential benefits to human and environmental health. The concept of plant-based diet, however, varies widely in its definition. Current definitions range from the exclusion of all animal products to diets that include meat, fish, and dairy in varying quantities. Therefore, the main objectives of this review were twofold: (a) to investigate how researchers use the term plant-based diet in nutrition intervention studies and (b) what types of food a plant-based diet may include. Searching two databases, we found that the term "plant-based diet" evokes varying ideas to researchers and clinicians. Fifty percent of the retrieved studies that included a plant-based dietary intervention completely proscribed animal products and used the term plant-based diet interchangeably with a vegan diet. In contrast, an ~33% of trials included dairy products and 20% of dietary interventions emphasized a semi-vegetarian dietary pattern. Based on specific examples, we point out how the usage of the umbrella term "plant-based diet" may cause significant ambiguity. We often encountered incomplete descriptions of plant-based dietary interventions, which makes comparison and reproducibility of studies difficult. As a consequence, we urge others to use the term "plant-based diet" only in conjunction with a detailed dietary description. To facilitate this process, we provide a template of a standardized plant-based intervention reporting checklist. Finally, the present review also highlights the urgent need for a consensus definition of the term plant-based diet and its content.
Topics: Animals; Checklist; Diet; Diet, Vegan; Diet, Vegetarian; Humans; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 34675405
DOI: 10.1038/s41430-021-01023-z