Protective and Restorative Effects of Nutrients and Phytochemicals

Abstract

Intoroduction:Dietary intake fundamentally provides reintegration of energy and essential nutrients to human organisms. However, its qualitative and quantitative composition strongly affects individual’s health, possibly being either a preventive or a risk factor. It was shown that nutritional status resulting from long-term exposition to specific diet formulations can outstandingly reduce incidences of most common and most important diseases of the developed world, such as cardiovascular and neoplastic diseases. Diet formulations result from different food combinations which bring specific nutrient molecules. Numerous molecules, mostly but not exclusively from vegetal foods, have been characterized among nutritional components as being particularly responsible for diet capabilities to exert risk reduction. These “bioactive nutrients” are able to produce effects which go beyond basic reintegration tasks, i.e. energetic and/or structural, but are specifically pharmacologically active within pathophysiological pathways related to many diseases, being able to selectively affect processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, differentiation, angiogenesis, DNA repair and carcinogens activation.Conclusion:The present review was aimed to know the molecular mechanisms and pathways of activity of bioactive molecules; which will firstly allow search for optimal food composition and intake, and then use them as possible therapeutical targets and/or diagnostics. Also, the present review discussed the therapeutic effect of both nutrients and phytochemicals.

Sorting out the Value of Cruciferous Sprouts as Sources of Bioactive Compounds for Nutrition and Health

“…Among them, to date, the following pathways have been identified: the inhibition of the DNA binding of carcinogens, the stimulation of detoxification of potentially damaging compounds, DNA repair, the repression of cell proliferation and angiogenesis (directly related to tumor growth and metastasis), the induction of apoptosis of malignant cells [ 37 , 38 ], and the ability to enhance the antioxidant tools of cells and promote free radical scavenging [ 39 , 40 ]. Regarding this biological activity, the modulation of the inflammatory cascade, and more specifically, the transcription factor NF-κB by GLSs, ITCs, and (poly)phenols, are also involved in the anticancer activity [ 41 ]. Hence, hereafter, the evidence on the value of incorporating cruciferous sprouts to regular diets to prevent a number of clinical situations is reviewed ( Table 3 ), and the molecular mechanisms involved are also discussed.…”

“…The ITCs phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), and SFN, have been demonstrated to have chemo-preventive activity in diverse in vitro models, exhibiting multi-target activities in cells and tissues [ 41 ]. Early works of Fahey et al (1997) demonstrated the capacity of broccoli sprouts to reduce the incidence of breast cancer in vivo due to the presence of ITCs acting as inducers of enzymes that protect against carcinogens.…”

Dietary total antioxidant capacity as a preventive factor against depression in climacteric women

“…The first questionnaire collected data on demographic characteristics, physical activity (engagement in any type of exercise for at least 30 min), diagnosis of depression (patients previously diagnosed by a psychiatrist according to the DSM-IV), and antidepressant medication use. The second questionnaire evaluated the intensity of depression symptoms, measured using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), classified as: normal (0-9), mild (10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15), mild to moderate (16)(17)(18)(19), moderate to severe (20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29), or severe (30-63). 23 Information about the diet of the volunteers was obtained using a 24-hour dietary recall.…”

“…19,20 Previous evidence shows that antioxidants present in foods from natural sources can influence brain dynamics and functioning through a preventive and/or therapeutic effect elicited by these compounds. 10,13,21,22 While dietary phytochemicals promote an important either preventive or restorative effect in several chronic diseases, their role in depression needs further investigation. Furthermore, information about the intake of antioxidants by women is scarce.…”

Overtraining syndrome, stress and nutrition in football amateur athletes

“…It is important to take food 3-4 hours before the competition, to prevent and monitor dehydration by ingesting, 30-40 minutes before the competition, a supplement in the form of a drink and, in the post-race phase, is necessary to reintegrate the water reserves, assuming a quantity of liquids equal to the kg lost plus another 50%, as well as glycogen, taking 1gr of glucose per body weight, accumulated in pre-race (Galanti, Stefani, Scacciati et al, 2015;Altavilla et al, 2018). The reintegration of energy and water reserves must be controlled in order to avoid the absorption of high doses of supplements, or associations of supplements or a consumption of them for a long period, which can cause damage to the liver, kidney and heart (Rescigno et al, 2018). These conditions together with an imbalance between training and recovery loads cause a dysfunction of the neuroendocrine system at the hypothalamic level determining the overtraining conditions.…”