To investigate single and combined effects of daily dietary supplementation with 50 mg of vitamin B6 and 200 mg magnesium (as MgO) for one cycle for the relief of mild premenstrual symptoms, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design was used. Forty-four women with an average age of 32 years took part in the study. Each woman was randomly assigned, according to a Latin square design, to take consecutively all four of the following treatments daily for one menstrual cycle: (1) 200 mg Mg, (2) 50 mg vitamin B6, (3) 200 mg Mg + 50 mg vitamin B6 and (4) placebo. Throughout the study, each volunteer kept a daily record of symptoms using a 5-point ordinal scale in a menstrual diary of 30 symptoms. Symptoms were grouped into six categories: anxiety, craving, depression, hydration, other, and total. Urinary magnesium output for 24 hours was estimated using the Mg/creatinine concentration ratio. ANOVA showed no overall difference between individual treatments, but predefined treatment comparisons using factorial contrasts in ANOVA showed a significant effect of 200 mg/day Mg + 50 mg/day vitamin B6 on reducing anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms (nervous tension, mood swings, irritability, or anxiety) (p = 0.040). Urinary Mg output was not affected by treatment. A small synergistic effect of a daily dietary supplementation with a combination of Mg + vitamin B6 in the reduction of mild premenstrual anxiety-related symptoms was demonstrated during treatment of 44 women for one menstrual cycle. In view of the modest effect found, further studies are needed before making general recommendations for the treatment of premenstrual symptoms. The study indicated that absorption from MgO was poor and daily supplementation for longer than 1 month is necessary for tissue repletion.

We investigated the effect of a daily supplement of 200 mg of magnesium (as MgO)

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Yolk color and egg white (albumen) cleanliness and viscosity are important parameters by which consumers judge the quality of eggs. This study aimed to investigate changes in albumen viscosity during storage of eggs for up to 36 days from two different commercial laying hen strains (Carijo Barbada and Isa Brown) fed a diet containing annatto (1.5 and 2.0%) or a synthetic additive without synthetic colorants (control). Analyses of humidity, albumen height, pH, viscosity, foam formation, and stability were carried out on eggs. Carijo Barbada strain had smaller albumen, lower humidity and higher egg white viscosity than Isa Brown strain; however, with storage, viscosity lowered significantly on both strains. Initially, the addition of 2.0% of annatto or a synthetic additive increased viscosity in both strains, but with storage only the control maintained longer viscosity. Lower viscosity did not change foam density and stability.

A anemia ferropriva atinge cerca de 2 bilhões de pessoas no mundo e é causada pelo desequilíbrio na quantidade biodisponível de ferro e sua necessidade orgânica. No Brasil, a anemia ferropriva foi apontada como a segunda maior deficiência causadora de doença na infância (ALMEIDA et al., 2004;SPINELLI et al., 2005).A biodisponibilidade do ferro depende da composição e forma como os alimentos são consumidos e da combinação destes na dieta. O ferro heme presente na carne bovina, peixes, aves e vísceras apresenta alta biodisponibilidade, sendo absorvido pelo intestino em maior porcentagem (10 a 30%) do que o ferro não heme. O ferro não heme, tem biodisponibilidade variável, porém sempre baixa. A biodisponibilidade desse tipo de ferro pode ser potencializada pelo consumo simultâneo de carnes, vísceras, alimentos ricos em ácidos orgânicos como o ascórbico, a vitamina A e carotenos (SANTOS et al., 2004).O ácido ascórbico, quando ingerido na mesma refeição com o ferro não heme, potencializa a absorção. Ele mantém o ferro no estado ferroso e forma o quelato ferro-ascorbato, que é mais solúvel, por isso pronto para ser absorvido ( GARCIA-CASAL et al., 1998).A presença da vitamina C nas refeições aumenta a absorção do ferro mesmo em presença de alimentos que contenham fatores inibidores como fitatos, polifenóis, fosfatos, carbonatos e taninos pela formação do quelato ferro-ascorbato ( ARANHA et al., 2000). O tomate é um alimento que possui grande AbstractIron availability is an important factor in the diet because iron deficiency anemia affects many people in the world. Cysteine and vitamin C are factors that increase its absorption. The research had the objectives of evaluating iron availability in meat, common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and the combination of rice and tomato with beans and to analyze if phytic acid, oxalic acid and tannins in the mixtures with beans affect iron availability significantly. The food was prepared as for consumption and the samples obtained by combining meat, beans, rice and tomato were: A1-meat; A2 -common beans; A3 -common beans and tomato; A4 -common beans and rice; and A5 -common beans, rice and tomato. Analyses of tannin, phytic acid, oxalic acid, and vitamin C contents and of in vitro iron content and dialysis were carried out. Low amounts of tannins, phytic acid and oxalic acid were found and they did not influence iron availability. Percentages from 5.73 to 13.61% dialysis were found, indicating that the combined addition of cysteine and vitamin C has an increased effect compared to when they are present separately. Keywords: vitamin C; cysteine; bean; tomato; rice; meat. ResumoA disponibilidade do ferro é fator importante na dieta, pois a anemia ferropriva atinge grande parte da população mundial. A cisteína e a vitamina C são fatores que melhoram sua absorção. A pesquisa teve por objetivos avaliar a disponibilidade de ferro em carne, feijão comum (Phaseolus vulgaris) e a combinação de arroz e tomate ao feijão, bem como analisar se o ácido fítico, o ácido oxálico e os taninos das co...