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Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19

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A special issue of Nutrients (ISSN 2072-6643). This special issue belongs to the section "Nutritional Epidemiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2022) | Viewed by 60985

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Laura Di Renzo

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Division of Human Nutrition, Department of Neuroscience, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpellier n. 1, 00183 Rome, Italy
Interests: nutritional genomic (nutrigenetic and nutrigenomic); human body composition; metabolism; personalized nutritional assessment; food chemistry
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Chronic degenerative diseases (CDDs), represented by non-infectious diseases, of long duration and slow progression, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancer, have been up to now the most frequent causes of prolonged disability and death worldwide.

Worldwide, patients with one or more CDD represent over 30% of the population, and 70% of public health resources are destined for these diseases. In the meantime, infectious diseases caused by emerging pathogens, such as SARS-Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), represent a real and current threat at global level.

In this particular moment, it is not possible to deny the relationship between CCDs and viral infection susceptibility. Following COVID-19, recent publications show that the most serious clinical conditions in COVID-19 have been observed in people with obesity and metabolic dysfunction as well as in protein-energetic malnourishment and micronutrient deficiencies.

In the light of all the sanitary expenditures that each continent deals with, it would be fundamental to formulate a multidisciplinary strategy to fight the depletion of the individual health status and the predisposition to viral infection and other exogenous risk factors. A nutritional strategy is thus urgently needed to prevent and control CDDs and COVID-19.

I invite authors to submit original research and review articles that address the progress and current understanding on the role of personalized healthy and sustainable diet in CDD and COVID-19.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

Role of healthy diet in chronic noncommunicable disease and COVID-19;
Food sustainability and COVID-19;
Personalized nutrition and COVID-19;
Immunonutrition and COVID-19;
Role of prebiotics and probiotics on gut microbiota and COVID-19;
Effects of bioactive molecules.

Prof. Dr. Laura Di Renzo
Guest Editor

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Keywords

COVID-19
Chronic degenerative diseases
Immunonutrition
Vitamin and minerals
Probiotic and prebiotic
Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound
Nutriegentic and nutrigenomic
Obesity
Nutraceuticals

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

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4 pages, 201 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19

by Laura Di Renzo, Paola Gualtieri, Giulia Frank and Antonino De Lorenzo

Nutrients 2023, 15(10), 2253; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15102253 - 10 May 2023

Viewed by 1701

Abstract

Chronic degenerative diseases (CDD) are non-infectious, slow-progressing, and long-lasting diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, chronic respiratory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

Research

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12 pages, 615 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Low Dietary Variety Is Associated with Incident Frailty in Older Adults during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Prospective Cohort Study in Japan

by Miyuki Yokoro, Naoto Otaki, Megumu Yano, Tomomi Imamura, Norikazu Tanino and Keisuke Fukuo

Nutrients 2023, 15(5), 1145; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15051145 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1481

Abstract

Background: Stagnation of social activity due to the COVID-19 pandemic probably reduces motivation to maintain a healthy diet. It is important to report on the dietary changes observed in older adults during a period of restriction on outings and to clarify the relationship between dietary variety and frailty. This one-year follow-up study examined the association between frailty and dietary variety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Baseline and follow-up surveys were conducted in August 2020 and August 2021, respectively. The follow-up survey was distributed by mail to 1635 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥65 years. Of the 1235 respondents, 1008 respondents who were non-frail at baseline are included in this study. Dietary variety was examined using a dietary variety score developed for older adults. Frailty was assessed using a five-item frailty screening tool. The outcome was frailty incidence. Results: In our sample, 108 subjects developed frailty. A linear regression analysis revealed a significant association between dietary variety score and frailty score (β, −0.032; 95% CI, −0.064 to −0.001; p = 0.046). This association was also significant in Model 1, adjusted for sex and age, (β, −0.051; 95% CI, −0.083 to −0.019; p = 0.002) and in a multivariate analysis that added adjustments for living alone, smoking, alcohol use, BMI, and existing conditions to Model 1 (β, −0.045; 95% CI, −0.078 to −0.012; p = 0.015). Conclusions: A low dietary variety score was associated with an increased frailty score during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restricted daily routine caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will probably continue to have a long-term effect in terms of reduced dietary variety. Thus, vulnerable populations, such as older adults, might require dietary support. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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11 pages, 304 KiB

Open AccessArticle

by Longgang Zhao, Michael D. Wirth, Fanny Petermann-Rocha, Solange Parra-Soto, John C. Mathers, Jill P. Pell, Frederick K. Ho, Carlos A. Celis-Morales and James R. Hébert

Nutrients 2023, 15(4), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15040884 - 09 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3315

Abstract

Diet, the most important modulator of inflammatory and immune responses, may affect COVID-19 incidence and disease severity. Data from 196,154 members of the UK biobank had at least one 24 h dietary recall. COVID-19 outcomes were based on PCR testing, hospital admissions, and death certificates. Adjusted Poisson regression analyses were performed to estimate the risk ratios (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dietary inflammatory index (DII)/energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) scores. Models were adjusted for sociodemographic factors, comorbidities, smoking status, physical activity, and sleep duration. Between January 2020 and March 2021, there were 11,288 incident COVID-19 cases, 1270 COVID-19-related hospitalizations, and 315 COVID-19-related deaths. The fully adjusted model showed that participants in the highest (vs. lowest) DII/E-DII quintile were at 10–17% increased risk of COVID-19 (DII: RR _{Q5 vs}. _Q1 = 1.10, 95% CI 1.04–1.17, P_trend < 0.001; E-DII: RR _{Q5 vs}. _Q1 = 1.17, 95% CI 1.10–1.24, P_trend < 0.001) and ≈40% higher risk was observed for disease severity (DII: RR _{Q5 vs}. _Q1 = 1.40, 95% CI 1.18–1.67, P_trend < 0.001; E-DII: RR _{Q5 vs}. _Q1 = 1.39, 95% CI 1.16–1.66, P_trend < 0.001). There was a 43% increased risk of COVID-19-related death in the highest DII quintile (RR _{Q5 vs}. _Q1 = 1.43, 95% CI 1.01–2.01, P_trend = 0.04). About one-quarter of the observed positive associations between DII and COVID-19-related outcomes were mediated by body mass index (25.8% for incidence, 21.6% for severity, and 19.8% for death). Diet-associated inflammation increased the risk of COVID-19 infection, severe disease, and death. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

13 pages, 316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Sustainable Benefits of Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Italy

by Paola Gualtieri, Marco Marchetti, Giulia Frank, Rossella Cianci, Giulia Bigioni, Carmela Colica, Laura Soldati, Alessandra Moia, Antonino De Lorenzo and Laura Di Renzo

Nutrients 2023, 15(1), 110; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010110 - 26 Dec 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2263

Abstract

This study aimed to identify adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and its effect on health and environmental and socioeconomic sustainability during the COVID-19 pandemic among a sample of the Italian population. Notably, it intended to assess the effect of adherence to the MedDiet on ecological footprints and food expenditure. A survey was conducted from the 5th to the 24th of April 2020 on Google Forms. The MEDAS questionnaire was used to determine the level of adherence to the MedDiet. The carbon footprint (CO₂), water footprint (H₂O), and food cost were calculated. In total, 3353 participants completed the questionnaire, ranging from 18 to 86 years old. A statistically significant difference was observed in the CO₂ and H₂O among BMI groups (p < 0.001). The low- and medium-MEDAS groups showed higher CO₂ (p < 0.001). The food cost (EUR/week) resulted in statistically significant differences among the MEDAS groups. The CO₂ results were significantly lower in organic-market buyers compared to non-organic-market buyers (p < 0.001). Public health must promote awareness of how adhering to a healthy lifestyle and making appropriate food choices can positively impact our health and social and economic well-being. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

17 pages, 722 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Zinc, Vitamins C and D on Disease Prognosis among Patients with COVID-19 in Bangladesh: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Nadim Sharif, Rubayet Rayhan Opu, Afsana Khan, Khalid J. Alzahrani, Hamsa Jameel Banjer, Fuad M. Alzahrani, Nusaira Haque, Shahriar Khan, Saimum Tahreef Soumik, Ming Zhang, Hanwen Huang, Xiao Song, Anowar Khasru Parvez and Shuvra Kanti Dey

Nutrients 2022, 14(23), 5029; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14235029 - 26 Nov 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 10700

Abstract

Vitamin C, (ascorbic acid), vitamin D (cholecalciferol) and zinc (zinc sulfate monohydrate) supplements are important in immunity against coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). However, a limited number of studies have been conducted on the association of vitamins and supplements with the reduced risks of COVID-19 infection. This study aims to evaluate the association of vitamins and supplements as treatment options to reduce the severity of COVID-19. Data were collected from 962 participants from 13 December 2020 to 4 February 2021. The presence of COVID-19 was confirmed by qRT-PCR. The Chi-square test and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. The ratio of uptake of vitamin C:vitamin D:zinc was 1:1:0.95. Uptake of vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc were significantly associated with the reduced risk of infection and severity of COVID-19 (OR: 0.006 (95% CI: 0.03–0.11) (p = 0.004)) and (OR: 0.03 (95% CI: 0.01–0.22) (p = 0.005)). The tendency of taking supplements was associated with the presence of infection of COVID-19 (p = 0.001), age (p = 0.02), sex (p = 0.05) and residence (p = 0.04). The duration of supplementation and medication was significantly associated with reduced hospitalization (p = 0.0001). Vitamins C, D and zinc were not significantly (p = 0.9) associated with a reduced risk of severity when taken through the diet. Hospitalization (p = 0.000001) and access to health facilities (p = 0.0097) were significantly associated with the survival period of the participants. Participants with better access to health facilities recovered early (OR: 6.21, 95% CI 1.56–24.7). This study will add knowledge in the field of treatment of COVID-19 by using vitamins and zinc supplements. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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14 pages, 2637 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Vitamin C Supplementation for the Treatment of COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

by Monika Olczak-Pruc, Damian Swieczkowski, Jerzy R. Ladny, Michal Pruc, Raul Juarez-Vela, Zubaid Rafique, Frank W. Peacock and Lukasz Szarpak

Nutrients 2022, 14(19), 4217; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14194217 - 10 Oct 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 6374

Abstract

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), millions of people have died, and the medical system has faced significant difficulties. Our purpose was to perform a meta-analysis to estimate the effect of vitamin C on in-hospital mortality and the ICU or hospital length of stay for patients diagnosed with COVID-19. We conducted a systematic review with meta-analysis in the following databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We included studies that evaluated the effect of vitamin C supplementation, compared with standard treatment in COVID-19 patients who are ≥18 y of age. Nineteen trials were included in the meta-analysis. In-hospital mortality with and without vitamin C supplementation was 24.1% vs. 33.9% (OR = 0.59; 95%CI: 0.37 to 0.95; p = 0.03), respectively. Sub-analysis showed that, in randomized clinical trials, in-hospital mortality varied and amounted to 23.9% vs. 35.8% (OR = 0.44; 95%CI: 0.25 to 0.76; p = 0.003), respectively. In the non-randomized trials, in-hospital mortality was 24.2% vs. 33.5% (OR = 0.72; 95%CI: 0.38 to 1.39; p = 0.33), respectively. The ICU length of stay was longer in patients treated with vitamin C vs. standard therapy, 11.1 (7.3) vs. 8.3 (4.7) days (MD = 1.91; 95%CI: 0.89 to 2.93; p < 0.001), respectively. Acute kidney injury in patients treated with and without vitamin C varied and amounted to 27.8% vs. 45.0% (OR = 0.56; 95%CI: 0.40 to 0.78; p < 0.001), respectively. There were no differences in the frequency of other adverse events among patients’ treatment with and without vitamin C (all p > 0.05). The use of vitamin C reduces hospital mortality. The length of stay in the ICU is longer among patients treated with vitamin C. In terms of patient safety, vitamin C has an acceptable profile. Low doses of vitamin C are effective and safe. Despite some evidence of the usefulness of vitamin C in modifying the course of COVID-19, it is too early to modify guidelines and recommendations. Further studies, in particular randomized clinical trials, are necessary. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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11 pages, 1366 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Exercise Training and Royal Jelly on Hippocampal Cannabinoid-1-Receptors and Pain Threshold in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis in Rats as Animal Model of Multiple Sclerosis

by Maryam Kheirdeh, Maryam Koushkie Jahromi, Annette Beatrix Brühl and Serge Brand

Nutrients 2022, 14(19), 4119; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14194119 - 03 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1850

Abstract

Cannabinoid-1-receptors (CB1R) are therapeutic targets for both the treatment of autoimmune diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), and some related symptoms such as pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of aerobic training and two dosages of royal jelly (RJ) on hippocampal CB1R and pain threshold (PT) in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) model. To this end, 56 female Sprague-Dawley rats with EAE were randomly assigned to one of the following eight conditions: (1) EAE; (2) sham; (3) 50 mg/kg RJ (RJ50); (4) 100 mg/kg RJ (RJ100); (5) exercise training (ET); (6) ET + RJ50; (7) ET + RJ100; and (8) not EAE or healthy control (HC). Endurance training was performed for five weeks, four sessions per week at a speed of 11–15 m/min for 30 min, and RJ was injected peritoneally at doses of 50 and 100 mg/kg/day). One-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s post hoc tests were performed to identify group-related differences in pain threshold (PT) and CB1R gene expression. Endurance training had no significant effect on PT and hippocampal CB1R in rats with EAE. CB1R gene expression levels in the RJ100 group were higher than in the EAE group. Further, PT levels in the ETRJ50 and ETRJ100 groups were higher than in the EAE group. The combination of ET and RJ50 had a higher impact on PT and CB1R, when compared to the ET and RJ50 alone. Next, there was a dose-response between RJ-induced CB1R gene expression and RJ dosages: higher dosages of RJ increased the CB1R gene expression. The overall results suggest that the combination of ET and increasing RJ dosages improved pain threshold probably related to CB1R in an EAE model, while this was not observed for ET or RJ alone. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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13 pages, 938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Populations in Low-Magnesium Areas Were Associated with Higher Risk of Infection in COVID-19’s Early Transmission: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study in the United States

by Jing Tian, Liwei Tang, Xinwei Liu, Yulan Li, Jinghong Chen, Weiren Huang and Min Liu

Nutrients 2022, 14(4), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14040909 - 21 Feb 2022

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 5848

Abstract

Many studies have confirmed the important roles of nutritional status and micronutrients in the COVID-19 pandemic. Magnesium is a vital essential trace element that is involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, and many other immunological functions and has been shown to be associated with the outcome of COVID-19 infection. Here, we conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study in the United States involving 1150 counties, 287,326,503 individuals, and 5,401,483 COVID-19 confirmed cases as of 30 September 2020 to reveal the infection risk of the populations distributed in low-magnesium areas in the early transmission of COVID-19. Our results indicate that the average county-level COVID-19 cumulative incidence in low-magnesium areas was significantly higher than in the control areas. Additionally, a significant negative nonlinear association was found between environmental magnesium concentration and the county-level COVID-19 cumulative incidence. Furthermore, the populations distributed in low environmental magnesium areas faced a higher COVID-19 infection risk (RR: 1.066; CI: 1.063–1.068), among which females (RR: 1.07; CI: 1.067–1.073), the 0–17 years subgroup (RR: 1.125; CI: 1.117–1.134), the 65+ years subgroup (RR: 1.093; CI: 1.087–1.098), black people (RR: 1.975; CI: 1.963–1.986), populations outside metro areas, and counties with a smaller population experienced higher risk of infection by COVID-19 than other subgroups. Considering that the magnesium intake of about half the population of the United States is below the daily required dose, our study will contribute to the creation of long-term public health strategies to help protect against COVID-19. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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Review

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15 pages, 504 KiB

Open AccessReview

Impact of COVID-19 on the Destiny of Bariatric Patients

by Paola Gualtieri, Marco Marchetti, Laura Di Renzo, Gemma Lou De Santis, Roselisa Palma, Carmela Colica, Giulia Frank, Antonino De Lorenzo and Nicola Di Lorenzo

Nutrients 2023, 15(1), 163; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010163 - 29 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1982

Abstract

Obese patients reported worse outcomes of COVID-19 related to prothrombotic and low-grade inflammation status. During the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, all non-elective surgeries were postponed, including bariatric surgery (BS). This umbrella review wants to underline obesity as a condition provoking low-grade chronic inflammation, and increasing severe COVID-19 risk; to relaunch the prioritization of BS. The literature search was conducted in March 2022 via Pubmed (MEDLINE) and focused on reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in peer-reviewed journals. Terms “bariatric surgery” OR “obesity surgery” OR “metabolic surgery” were analyzed with “COVID-19” OR “SARS-CoV-2” using the AND modifier. Only 13 studies of the 406 screened met the objective. The procrastination of BS over the past two years determined a delay in obesity treatment and severe consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on economic costs. Although BS has high costs, a lifetime cost advantage over conventional weight loss methods was demonstrated. As the pandemic continues, health policies must recognize obesity as a disease-predisposing factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, considering COVID-19 as a new comorbidity mitigable by BS. Care pathways for obese patients in COVID/post-COVID era should be revitalized and the concept of elective surgery attributed to BS should be reformulated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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15 pages, 350 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceReview

Dietary Therapy in Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD)—Tradition or Modernity? A Review of the Latest Approaches to Nutrition in CVD

by Elżbieta Szczepańska, Agnieszka Białek-Dratwa, Barbara Janota and Oskar Kowalski

Nutrients 2022, 14(13), 2649; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14132649 - 27 Jun 2022

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 7812

Abstract

The development of cardiovascular diseases is undoubtedly influenced by improper dietary behavior. The most common mistakes include irregularity of meal consumption, high dietary atherogenicity: snacking on sweets between meals, low supply of dietary fiber, unsaturated fatty acids, legume seeds, and high supply of meat and meat products. Among many food components, some are characterized by a specific cardioprotective effect, which means that their supply of food may prevent the occurrence of cardiovascular disease or improve the health of the sick. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is one of the ingredients showing cardioprotective effects on the heart and blood vessels. Antioxidant and lipid profile-enhancing effects are also attributed to sitosterol which is one of the plant-derived sterols. A very important argument indicating the necessity of a varied diet rich in a variety of plant products is the beneficial effect of polyphenols, which are most abundant in multicolored vegetables and fruits. Numerous studies show their effectiveness in lowering blood pressure, improving lipid profile, and regeneration of vascular endothelium. The collected publications from the field of lifestyle medicine can be a source of knowledge for dieticians, physicians, and people associated with physical culture and human mental health to prevent the development of cardiovascular diseases and reduce the risk of death from this cause. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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27 pages, 1239 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Roles and Pathogenesis Mechanisms of a Number of Micronutrients in the Prevention and/or Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis, COVID-19 and Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus

by Khalid M. Sumaily

Nutrients 2022, 14(13), 2632; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14132632 - 24 Jun 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2649

Abstract

A trace element is a chemical element with a concentration (or other measures of an amount) that is very low. The essential TEs, such as copper (Cu), selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe) and the electrolyte magnesium (Mg) are among the most commonly studied micronutrients. Each element has been shown to play a distinctive role in human health, and TEs, such as iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu), are among the essential elements required for the organisms’ well-being as they play crucial roles in several metabolic pathways where they act as enzyme co-factors, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents. Epidemics of infectious diseases are becoming more frequent and spread at a faster pace around the world, which has resulted in major impacts on the economy and health systems. Different trace elements have been reported to have substantial roles in the pathogenesis of viral infections. Micronutrients have been proposed in various studies as determinants of liver disorders, COVID-19 and T2DM risks. This review article sheds light on the roles and mechanisms of micronutrients in the pathogenesis and prevention of chronic hepatitis B, C and E, as well as Coronavirus-19 infection and type-2 diabetes mellitus. An update on the status of the aforementioned micronutrients in pre-clinical and clinical settings is also briefly summarized. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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22 pages, 1752 KiB

Open AccessReview

The Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Nutritional Status and Its Possible Relation with Oral Diseases

by Micaela Costacurta, Michele Basilicata, Giulia Marrone, Manuela Di Lauro, Vincenzo Campolattano, Patrizio Bollero, Raffaella Docimo, Nicola Di Daniele and Annalisa Noce

Nutrients 2022, 14(10), 2002; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14102002 - 10 May 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5160

Abstract

Several studies have demonstrated a strong relation between periodontal diseases and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The main mechanisms at the base of this link are malnutrition, vitamin dysregulation, especially of B-group vitamins and of C and D vitamins, oxidative stress, metabolic acidosis and low-grade inflammation. In particular, in hemodialysis (HD) adult patients, an impairment of nutritional status has been observed, induced not only by the HD procedures themselves, but also due to numerous CKD-related comorbidities. The alteration of nutritional assessment induces systemic manifestations that have repercussions on oral health, like oral microbiota dysbiosis, slow healing of wounds related to hypovitaminosis C, and an alteration of the supporting bone structures of the oral cavity related to metabolic acidosis and vitamin D deficiency. Low-grade inflammation has been observed to characterize periodontal diseases locally and, in a systemic manner, CKD contributes to the amplification of the pathological process, bidirectionally. Therefore, CKD and oral disease patients should be managed by a multidisciplinary professional team that can evaluate the possible co-presence of these two pathological conditions, that negatively influence each other, and set up therapeutic strategies to treat them. Once these patients have been identified, they should be included in a follow-up program, characterized by periodic checks in order to manage these pathological conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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16 pages, 6005 KiB

Open AccessReview

Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Depression, and Neurodegeneration: A Bidirectional Communication from Gut to Brain

by Muhammad Nazirul Mubin Aziz, Jaya Kumar, Khairul Najmi Muhammad Nawawi, Raja Affendi Raja Ali and Norfilza M. Mokhtar

Nutrients 2021, 13(9), 3061; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13093061 - 31 Aug 2021

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 8392

Abstract

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are increasingly presenting with a wide range of neuropsychiatric symptoms, such as deterioration in gastroenteric physiology, including visceral hypersensitivity, altered intestinal membrane permeability, and gastrointestinal motor dysfunction. Functional imaging of IBS patients has revealed several abnormalities in various brain regions, such as significant activation of amygdala, thinning of insular and anterior cingulate cortex, and increase in hypothalamic gray matter, which results in poor psychiatric and cognitive outcomes. Interrelations between the enteric and central events in IBS-related gastrointestinal, neurological, and psychiatric pathologies have compelled researchers to study the gut-brain axis—a bidirectional communication that maintains the homeostasis of the gastrointestinal and central nervous system with gut microbiota as the protagonist. Thus, it can be disrupted by any alteration owing to the gut dysbiosis or loss of diversity in microbial composition. Available evidence indicates that the use of probiotics as a part of a balanced diet is effective in the management of IBS and IBS-associated neurodegenerative and psychiatric comorbidities. In this review, we delineate the pathogenesis and complications of IBS from gastrointestinal and neuropsychiatric standpoints while also discussing the neurodegenerative events in enteric and central nervous systems of IBS patients and the therapeutic potential of gut microbiota-based therapy established on clinical and preclinical data. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrition for Prevention and Control of Chronic Degenerative Diseases and COVID-19)

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