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The present study was designed to reveal whether long-term consumption of bitter apricot seeds causes changes in lipid profile and other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The study group consisted of 12 healthy adult volunteers (5 females and 7 males). The average age of women was 41.60 ± 11.28 years and the average age of men was 36.71 ± 13.70 years. Volunteers consumed 60 mg kg of body weight of bitter apricot seeds divided into 8-12 doses daily for 12 weeks. Volunteers were recruited from the general population of Slovak Republic. After 12 weeks, mean body weight of the participants increased from 77.34 to 78.22 kg (P > 0.05). The average total cholesterol levels decreased from 4.86 mmol L at the beginning of the study to 4.44 mmol L at the end of the study (P < 0.05). We did not observe any significant increase in high-density cholesterol (from 1.55 to 1.60 mmol L). The average low-density cholesterol levels decreased from 2.93 mmol L at the beginning of the study to 2.31 mmol L at the end of the study (P < 0.001). Concentration of triglycerides increased significantly over the 12-week intervention period from 0.84 to 1.17 mmol L. After the intervention, the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level decreased from 1.92 to 1.23 mg L, but results were non-significant (P > 0.05). Creatine kinase serum levels increased from 2.31 to 2.77 mg L (P > 0.05) over the 12-week intervention period. The results suggest that regular intake of bitter apricot seeds may be considered potentially useful for prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

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Natural substances, such as amygdalin, used in alternative medicine gained high popularity. Common people as well as patients with different diseases have almost unlimited access to various natural supplements. To protect human health, it is very important to study effect of these substances. Amygdalin is a cyanogenic glucoside derived from seeds of rosaceous plants, for example seeds of bitter almonds (Prunus dulcis), or apricot, cherry, apple, peach, plum, etc. It is a natural product that owns antitumor activity, it has also been used for the treatment of asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, leprosy and diabetes and produces a kind of antitussive and antiasthmatic effects. The present in vivo study was designed to reveal whether amygdalin in apricot seeds has got an effect on human urine composition, pH value and urine associated health status after six weeks of oral administration. The study group finally consisted of 34 healthy adult volunteers (21 females and 13 males). All participants were asked to consume 60 mg.kg -1 body weight of bitter apricot seeds daily (approximately 3.0 mg.kg -1 of amygdalin) during 6 weeks. During the experiment, three urine collections were carried out (first collection at the beginning of the experiment; second collectionafter 21 days; third collectionafter 42 days). Quantification of urine calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), sodium (Na), potassium (K), chlorides (Cl -), urea and pH value after apricot seeds supplementation was performed. Statistical analysis of variance showed, that consumption of bitter apricot seeds during 42 days had a significant (p <0.01) effect on amount of calcium excreted in urine, though this decrease shifted its level from elevated mean value in control collection into normal physiological range. Significant changes were observed in urea (p <0.05) and phosphorus (p <0.01) levels in urine after apricot seed ingestion, but gender was also considered to be a source of their variation.

The aim of this paper was to compare the frequency of consumption and the amount of consumed acidophylus drinks and yogurts at 427 respondents from various schools at the age between 12 and 26 years in two monitored years. 223 males and 204 females participaded at the survey. The questionaire again confirmed low level of yogurts and acidophylus drinks consumption. The consumption of white yogurts was confirmed only by 2 % of questioned pupils. Fruit yogurts are more popular among pupils and it is necessary to say that we registred the increase of fruit yogurts consumption in year 2008, mainly in cream fruit yogurts. The daily consumption of these increased with male population from 14.8 % in year 2004 to 26.2 % in year 2008. The significant increase of consumtption occured also with female population of half-fat yogurts and the similar trend was also niticed in low-fat fruit yogurts, mainly within the female population. The consumption of clabber, acidophylus drinks and buttermilk, according to our survey in year 2008 went up  in comparison with year 2004 in male population by 8.3 % and with female population by 9.5 %. Based on the monitored frequency of consumption a few times per week we detected growing trend in yogurt and acidophylus beverages, which we evaluate as the positive sing.

doi:10.5219/26