Sadia Fatima

Response of appetite and potential appetite regulators following intake of high energy nutritional supplements

BACKGROUND The net clinical benefit of high-energy nutritional supplements (HENSDs) consumption is lower than expected. OBJECTIVES To investigate the extent to which consumption of oral HENSD in the fasted state reduces energy intake in slim females during consecutive breakfast and lunch, and whether this relates to changes in appetite and metabolic appetite regulators. DESIGN Twenty three females of 24.4 ± 2.8 years with BMI of 18.2 ± 0.8 kg/m(2) consumed HENSD (2.5 MJ) or PLACEBO (0.4 MJ) in fasted state in a single blind randomized cross-over study. Appetite and metabolic rate measurements and blood collection were conducted prior to and during 240 min after the intake of the supplements. Energy intake was recorded during ad libitum buffet breakfast and lunch served 60 min and 240 min post supplementation respectively. RESULTS Energy intake during breakfast was significantly (P < 0.01) lower in the HENSD trial but the net cumulative effect on energy intake was 1.07 ± 0.34 MJ higher in the HENSD compared to PLACEBO. Plasma concentration of CCK and PYY and insulin and were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the HENSD trial while appetite measures were not significantly different between HENSD and PLACEBO trials. Correlations for the within participant relations between the responses of plasma hormones and appetite scores were significant (P < 0.05) for PYY and insulin but not CCK. The energy expended above resting metabolic rate was significantly (P < 0.05) higher in the HENDS trial but relative increase in energy expenditure was not significantly different between the two trials. CONCLUSION Oral high-energy nutritional supplements have a partial and relatively short lived suppressive action on energy intake and can be expected to increase net energy intake by approximately half the energy value of the supplement consumed.

Adipokine Serum visfatin level in pregnancy induced hypertension and uncomplicated pregnancy.

Background and Objectives: Hypertensive disorder in pregnancy is the significant disease that badly affects the maternal and fetal prognosis and lead to higher mortality and morbidity in the prenatal period. Visfatin, potentially a new adipokine has emerged having high contribution in pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia. The objective of the study was to find the level of Visfatin in pregnancy induced hypertension and normal pregnant women. Methods: This study was carried out in tertiary care hospitals, Peshawar from March-October 2014. A total of 234 pregnant women (gestational age >20 weeks) were included in the study with distribution as Preeclampsia (PE=86), Eclampsia (E=74) and control (N=74). Blood was taken for measuring Visfatin level by Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique. SPSS version 19 was used for statistical analysis. Student’s t test was performed to evaluate the mean differences in patients and control. Results: Serum level of visfatin was significantly higher in pregnancy induced hypertension when compared with control (P value<0.001).: Comparisons of mean value of visfatin with age group of 21-40 years, body mass index (BMI), primary parous and parity 2-4, gestational age of >36 weeks and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were highly significant in pregnancy induced hypertension when compared with control (p value<0.001). Conclusion: Pregnancy induced hypertensive women showed increased level of serum Visfatin than normal pregnant women.

Role of Zinc in Shaping the Gut Microbiome; Proposed Mechanisms and Evidence from the Literature

Zinc is an important constituent of diet that regulates gut epithelial wall and modify gut microbiome in humans as well as animals. Zinc deficiency may affect 39% children in Pakistan, according to the recent National Nutritional Survey 2011. Although zinc has been used in the prevention and treatment of diarrhea, the relationship of plasma zinc status with potentially pathogenic bacteria has not been studied. In this review, we have discussed evidence suggesting the impact of zinc on gut microbiota and its interaction with gut epithelium. Furthermore, animal and human studies suggesting the role of zinc in modifying gut microbiota have been presented.