Emilson Souza Portella

Fatores dietéticos na prevenção e tratamento de comorbidades associadas à síndrome metabólica

A sindrome metabolica constitui um fator de risco cardiovascular, sendo caracterizada pela associacao de hipertensao arterial sistemica, obesidade abdominal, tolerância a glicose prejudicada, hipertrigliceridemia e baixas concentracoes sanguineas de HDL-colesterol, alem dos estados pro-trombotico e pro-inflamatorio observados. No entanto, a alimentacao adequada, associada a outras modificacoes no estilo de vida, tais como pratica regular de atividade fisica e abandono do tabagismo, contribui para um melhor controle da doenca, prevenindo suas complicacoes e aumentando a qualidade de vida. Desse modo, o objetivo deste estudo foi revisar, na literatura cientifica, o papel da dieta na prevencao e tratamento da sindrome metabolica. Os trabalhos sobre o assunto informam que a terapia nutricional visa a limitar o consumo de gorduras saturadas e acidos graxos trans isomeros, os principais envolvidos no aumento da colesterolemia. O aporte proteico deve ser semelhante as recomendacoes da populacao geral, com enfase no consumo de proteinas de origem vegetal e de peixe. Outro fator importante refere-se ao indice glicemico dos alimentos: dietas de alto indice glicemico estao relacionadas a promocao da resistencia insulinica, obesidade e diabetes mellitus tipo 2. Quanto as fibras alimentares, muitos estudos comprovam que a dieta rica em fibras diminui o risco de doencas coronarianas e diabetes mellitus tipo 2, alem de contribuir para melhor controle glicemico. Portanto, a alimentacao adequada constitui um fator indispensavel nao somente no tratamento, como tambem na prevencao da sindrome metabolica.

Plasma zinc, copper, leptin, and body composition are associated in elite female judo athletes

This study evaluated levels of plasma zinc, copper, and leptin, body composition, and their relationship in nine elite female judo athletes under two different training conditions. Body composition and biochemical measurements (hematological indexes, plasma zinc, plasma copper, and plasma leptin) were analyzed 24 h after intense training and following a 5-d period without training (no-training). Plasma leptin and plasma zinc increased with no-training. Plasma zinc correlated negatively with percent fat mass (r=−0.62; r=0.05) and positively with plasma leptin (r=0.83; p=0.002) in the no-training condition Plasma copper did not change during the study and correlated positively with plasma leptin (r=0.66; p=0.05) and with percent fat mass (r=0.80; p=0.007) after training. Percent fat mass was associated negatively with plasma zinc (r=−0.62; p=0.05) in the no-training condition. Moreover percent fat mass was negatively associated with the Zn/Cu plasma ratio under both training conditions (r<−0.78, p<0.001). These results are consistent with the possible function of zinc as a lipid-mobilizing factor and of copper as a limiting factor in energy metabolism.

Effect of the Period of Resting in Elite Judo Athletes Hematological Indices and Copper/ Zinc-Dependent Antioxidant Capacity

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the resting period on hematological and copper-zinc-dependent antioxidant indices in Brazilian elite judo athletes (n=7). Venous blood samples were collected after 24-h and 5-d periods of resting following a competition, with an interval of 30 d between collections. Two months prior to and during the study, each athlete received an individualized adequate diet. Body composition was determined at both study periods. The following were analyzed: in whole blood, hemoglobin, hematocrit, red cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red cell distribution width, and white cell count; in plasma, zinc, copper, iron, ceruloplasmin, and total iron-binding capacity; in erythrocytes, metallothionein, copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, and osmotic fragility. Dietary intake and body composition did not affect the biochemical measurements. A significant reduction in ceruloplasmin and superoxide dismutase activity was found after 5 d compared to 24 h of resting. A significant correlation between erythrocyte metallothionein and red cell distribution width was observed after 24 h of resting (r=−0.83, p=0.02) whereas positive correlations of metallothionein with hemoglobin, red cell count, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were observed after 5 d of resting (r≥0.76, p≤0.05). Our results suggest that a longer resting period favors homeostatic adjustments in the erythrocyte population and in the copper/zinc-dependent antioxidant system in elite judo athletes.

Metabolismo energético em atletas de endurance é diferente entre os sexos

Endurance athletes have higher energy needs because they spend a lot of energy during exercise. However, the metabolic differences between genders and if these differences will imply in dietary changes are still not clear. Thus, the objective of this study was to gather information from the literature on the differences between the genders regarding energy metabolism in endurance athletes. Some studies show that during long-lasting exercise, women use more lipids and less carbohydrates and proteins as energy source when compared with men. Yet, other authors have not found a difference between genders in the proportions of metabolized substrates but in the kinds of lipids used. This difference in the use of substrates has been related with distinct concentrations of some hormones in men and women, such as 17b-estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, epinephrine, norepinephrine, growth hormone, insulin and glucagon. It has also been observed that male athletes increase their glycogen stores when they consume diets with a high sugar load while females only increase their glycogen stores when they consume diets with a high sugar load and excess calories. This finding is very relevant since the concentration of glycogen is directly associated with the athletes performance during endurance exercise. Therefore, literature suggests that there are differences between the genders regarding the use of substrates in athletes. However, new studies are needed to better clarify the energy metabolism of endurance athletes and thus make more adequate nutritional recommendations.

Body Composition and Basal Metabolic Rate in Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective. The aim of this study was to determine which of the seven selected equations used to predict basal metabolic rate most accurately estimated the measured basal metabolic rate. Methods. Twenty-eight adult women with type 2 diabetes mellitus participated in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric and biochemical variables were measured as well as body composition (by absorptiometry dual X-ray emission) and basal metabolic rate (by indirect calorimetry); basal metabolic rate was also estimated by prediction equations. Results. There was a significant difference between the measured and the estimated basal metabolic rate determined by the FAO/WHO/UNU (P value < 0.021) and Huang et al. (P value ≤ 0.005) equations. Conclusion. The calculations using Owen et als. equation were the closest to the measured basal metabolic rate.

Knowledge acquisition in the Nutri-Fuzzy-ORIXAS project

The knowledge acquisition is considered a critical stage in the process of knowledge based systems development. In this paper, we present the knowledge acquisition approach used in the Nutri-Fuzzy-ORIXAS. This project aim to study, acquire and manage knowledge and development systems in the nutrients bioavailability area. The process of knowledge acquisition used was proposed in ORIXAS, a software environment development for knowledge based systems and we introduce an ontology knowledge representation. The ontology has been developed in the Nutri-Fuzzy-ORIXAS to organize the knowledge and to guide the development of several systems specially the knowledge based system.