Health benefits of the polysaccharide (1→3)-β-D-glucan, reported to induce immunobiological, hypocholesterolemic, and hypoglycemic, effects in humans and animals, have made the isolation, characterization, and assay of a viable glucan product critical. A new analytical method, based on internal standard proton NMR analysis, for the assay of solvent-wet samples containing (1→3)-β-D-glucan is presented. The method enables glucan identification, provides a solvent-free assay, and improves upon the previous multistep extraction and lyophilization procedure by reducing the 1-2 day analysis time to 1-2 h. NMR offers a rapid method for quantifying the glucan in commercial samples, such as nutraceuticals, as well as industrial samples enabling better evaluation of the efficacy, of these carbohydrates in health-related applications.

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There have been significant changes in the clinical management of cerebral palsy (CP) during the past 2 decades. Gastrostomy tubes and nutritional supplements have been paramount in enhancing the life expectancy of those with CP. The literature shows that as many as 90% of children with CP can now expect to live to adulthood.1-4 As a result, CP is no longer considered to be a condition limited to childhood. However, emerging populations pose new challenges to those who provide health care support. This article presents an overview of what we know about the health care needs of adults with CP. / From the Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario; The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario; and The Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. / Dr Young is supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Canada Research chair.

Prolonged exercise has been associated with depressed immune function, and hence an increased risk of infection. However, several nutritional supplements may reduce or overcome this problem. Thus, the aims of this thesis were to investigate the effects of some nutritional supplements on athletes immune function. In study 1 (Chapter 3), effects of several vaccine stimulant dose on whole blood culture cytokine production was carried out to determine effective vaccine stimulant dose; which was found to be between a dilution of 4000 (dose 4) and 1000 (dose 6) of the original vaccine. This finding was used for the other studies (Chapter 4 and 5). In addition, the relationship between data obtained from Evidence Investigator analyser and enzyme linked-immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) for IL-10 was analysed and the results show a positive strong correlation between them. In study 2 (Chapter 4), in vitro effects of various immunomodulatory nutritional compounds on antigen-stimulated whole blood culture cytokine production was investigated and it was found that caffeine and quercetin showed tendency towards decrease cytokine production as the doses were increased. On the other hand, an upward trend was evident with kaloba, where high dose of kaloba seemed to increase the cytokine production. Since kaloba appeared to act as an immunostimulant in vitro, its effects on the immune response to prolonged exercise were examined in study 3 (Chapter 5). However, 7 days kaloba supplementation (20 mg of the root extract) did not alter athletes immune response although prolonged moderate intensity exercise significantly decreased S-IgA secretion rate and concentration post-exercise with the values returning to baseline by 1 h post-exercise. A 14-strain probiotic supplement effects on salivary antimicrobial proteins at rest and in response to an acute bout of prolonged exercise was investigated in study 4 (Chapter 6). Unfortunately, 30 days supplementation of the 14-strain probiotic appeared not enough to induce any significant effects on salivary antimicrobial proteins. Lastly, in study 5 (Chapter 7), the effects of a Lactobacillus probiotic on healthy people, who tend to have a higher than normal incidence of infection due to exercise stress-induced immune impairment was studied. In summary, this 16-week intervention study on 267 athletes found that regular ingestion of the probiotic reduced the extent to which training was negatively affected in endurance athletes when infection was present, and increased both S-IgA concentration and secretion rate over time. But it did not appear to reduce URTI incidence or the duration and severity of URTI episodes. Two major confounding factors, namely the unexpectedly low incidence of URTI during the winter period and the lower baseline S-IgA in the probiotic group may have prevented potential beneficial effects of probiotic supplementation from being identified.

M. Tech Food Service Management (Hospitality, Tourism and Public Relations, Faculty of Human Sciences), Vaal University of Technology. / Good maternal nutrition is vital for the health and survival of the developing foetus. Nutritive inadequacy has been associated with pregnant women in developing countries particularly Sub Saharan Africa. Adequate intake of both macro and micronutrients by this vulnerable group must be ensured to avoid maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. In this study, a novel approach was employed to develop a cost effective, culturally acceptable and nutrient-dense food multi-mix (FMM) supplement that would help meet 20-25 percent of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of pregnant women aged between 20and 30 years in the Vaal region. Twenty FMM supplements were formulated using South African food composition tables to ensure adequate nutritional content. Two out of the twenty, were selected and named FMM C1 and C3 respectively. FMM C I and C3 was selected owing to their better nutrient contents and affordability when compared with the others. Food items used to formulate FMM C 1 included maize meal, pea powder, peanut dry, milk powder and kidney beans. FMM C3 was formulated with sorghum, maize meal, peanut dry and onion powder. Chosen food items were dried, roasted, ground and mixed together proportionately. FMM supplements (C 1 & C3) were analyzed using standard laboratory techniques to determine their nutrient content. Results obtained were from the Agricultural Research Council (ARC). The shelf life of the FMM supplements was microbiologically tested. Shelf life testing proved safety for the time of consumption, as very little microbiological growth was found in 28 days. The FMM supplements were then incorporated in the development of two acceptable recipes (soup and gravy).Simple recipe leaflets were developed for use by the subjects. The process proved that it is possible to formulate a FMM or any other food product according to certain formulation criteria since formulated FMM supplements (C1 and C3) met the criteria of at least 20% RDA of Protein (g). However, the criteria for micronutrients and energy were difficult to meet as folate iron and energy showed lower percentages of 10%, 14% and 18% respectively in the experimental situation. Sensory evaluation was conducted to ascertain the acceptability of the developed recipes (soup and gravy). The sample consisted of pregnant women randomly selected from John Haynes and Sharpeville clinics respectively, it can be concluded it is possible to formulate and develop products that were culturally acceptable to the consumers (pregnant women) as sensory analysis indicated the majority (85%) of the respondents liked the gravy and 65% liked the soup. Further research is needed to address the impact on nutritional status, long-term compliance and development of range of FMM with various ingredients to determine the most nutritional, cost effective and acceptable product for pregnant women.

D. Tech. (Food Service Management, Dept. of Hospitality, Tourism and PR management), Vaal University of Technology / The main objective of this study was to develop a cost-effective, culturally acceptable, nutrient-dense food multimix (FMM) based on local food staples for pregnant women in the Vaal region. The impact of the consumption of the multimix on the nutritional status of the women, dietary diversity and outcomes of pregnancy was assessed in an intervention study by measuring the same variables as for a pilot study where the nutritional status of pregnant women was determined. Compliance was measured through monitoring of the FMM consumption and sensory evaluation tests. Quantitative food frequency questionnaires (QFFQs) and 24-hour recall questionnaires were completed in interviews. Anthropometric and biochemical measurements were recorded. The pilot study indicated that the mean total iron intake was 9,74 mg/day, below the estimated average requirement (EAR) of 22 mg/day for pregnant women. Therefore, 41,7 per cent of the women were found to be iron deficient and 50 per cent suffered from iron deficiency anaemia. Food consumed supplied little iron. Eighty per cent of the women were overweight before falling pregnant. Based on the pilot study, the FMM was developed and subjected to the following processes: chemical analysis, shelf life tests, recipe development and sensory evaluation. The product was then implemented in an intervention programme. A control group of pregnant women received soup powder. The respondents were relatively healthy and did not suffer from any chronic diseases. According to the nutrient intakes measured by the QFFQ, indicating usual dietary intakes, the iron intake of 87,5 per cent of the experimental group and 94 per cent of the control group fell below the EAR before intervention. After the intervention it improved in that the iron intake of 35,2 per cent of the experimental group and 33,3 per cent of the control group fell below the EAR. The top 10 items consumed by the experimental group during pre- and post-intervention were mainly rich in carbohydrates. Food containing iron absorption inhibitors such as tannin in tea and phytates in maize meal and bread were among the top 10 foods listed. The highest number of individual food items consumed by an individual in seven days was 39 before the intervention and 52 after the intervention, among the experimental group. The individual food variety improved after the intervention. The reason for this could be the inclusion of the FMM in their diets. The majority of the respondents consumed eight to nine of the nutritious food groups before and after the intervention. The mean food variety score (FVS) for the control group was 38,9 (±10,5) before the intervention, which decreased to 35,8 (±8,39) after the intervention. No improvement in FVS was observed after the intervention in the control group and the FVS indicated medium dietary diversity (30-60 food items). The post-intervention results show that there was an improvement in most of the iron variables. The experimental group showed statistically significant differences between pre- and post-intervention measurements in transferrin and haematocrit levels and the control group in haematocrit levels. All the babies born to the mothers of both the experimental and control groups were healthy with measurements in the normal range. The reason for this could be that the inclusion of the FMM and soup powder in the diets of the experimental and control group, respectively, made the women more aware of the importance of pregnancy monitoring. Furthermore, the attention given to the women by the clinic sisters and the researchers could have contributed to all the improvements mentioned.

Estudos sugerem que a suplementação de creatina pode atenuar a resistência à insulina, embora sejam escassas evidências que atestem a segurança desse suplemento. Diante disso, esse estudo teve como objetivo investigar a eficácia e segurança da suplementação de creatina em diabéticos do tipo 2. Foi conduzido um estudo clínico, randomizado, duplo-cego, controlado por placebo. Ao longo de três meses, os pacientes foram submetidos a treinamento físico e suplementação de creatina (CR) ou placebo (PL). No período basal e após a intervenção, os indivíduos realizaram avaliações de controle glicêmico, perfil lipídico, capacidade física, composição corporal e efeitos adversos. Além disso, os voluntários foram submetidos à biópsias musculares, para análises da expressão proteica e translocação de GLUT-4, e espectrometria de fósforo para determinação dos conteúdos intramusculares de fosforilcreatina. Após a intervenção, as concentrações intramusculares de fosforilcreatina foram maiores no grupo CR (diferença estimada entre as médias: 23,6 mmol/Kg músculo úmido; p = 0,03). Esse grupo também apresentou menores concentrações de hemoglobina glicada quando comparado ao grupo PL (diferença estimada entre as médias: -1,1%; p = 0,004). Os testes de tolerância oral à refeição demonstraram menores valores de glicemia de jejum e pós-prandial (momentos 30 e 60 minutos) no grupo CR versus PL. A expressão proteica de GLUT-4 não foi diferente entre os grupos, porém o aumento na translocação dessa proteína foi significantemente superior no grupo CR (p = 0,03). Não houve diferenças significantes entre os grupos para a insulinemia, perfil lipídico, concentrações séricas de peptídeo C, composição corporal, condicionamento aeróbio, força e função musculares. A suplementação de creatina não provocou deterioração nas funções renal e hepática. Os demais efeitos adversos relatados também não foram diferentes entres os grupos. Desta forma, concluímos que a suplementação de creatina aliada ao treinamento físico é uma estratégia terapêutica segura e efetiva em melhorar o controle glicêmico em diabéticos do tipo 2. Número de registro no domínio Clinicaltrials.com: NCT00992043 / Some studies have suggested that creatine supplementation may attenuate insulin resistance, but whether this supplement is safe remains uncertain. In light of this, the aim of this trial was to investigate the efficacy and safety of creatine supplementation combined with exercise training in patients with type II diabetes. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was conducted. The patients were submitted to exercise training and received either creatine (CR) or placebo (PL) for 12 weeks. At baseline and after the intervention, glycemic control, lipid profile, physical capacity, body composition, and adverse effects were assessed. Moreover, muscular biopsies were performed to determine the muscle GLUT-4 content and the GLUT-4 translocation, and muscle phosphorylcreatine was assessed by using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. After the intervention, muscle phosphorylcreatine content was higher in the CR group (estimated difference of means: 23.6 mmol/Kg wet muscle; p = 0.03). The CR group also presented decreased glycosylated hemoglobin when compared to the PL group (estimated difference of means: -1.1%; p = 0.004). The oral meal tolerance tests revealed reduced fasting and postprandial glycemia (30 and 60 minutes) in the CR versus the PL group. The muscle GLUT-4 content was similar between groups, but the increase in GLUT-4 translocation was significantly superior in the CR group when compared to the PL group (p = 0.03). In addition, No significant differences between groups were observed for insulinemia, lipid profile, serum peptide C concentration, body composition, aerobic conditioning, strength, and muscle function. Cr supplementation provokes no deleterious effects on kidney and liver functions. The reported adverse effects were similar between groups. Thus, we concluded that creatine supplementation is safe and capable of improving glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00992043

O controle da composição dos elementos presentes nos suplementos nutricionais é de grande importância devido ao crescente consumo e a comercialização de diversos tipos e marcas destes produtos. A determinação da quantidade de elementos nos suplementos torna – se necessária para comparar com os valores declarados nos seus rótulos. Neste trabalho, a ativação com nêutrons foi aplicada à análise de 11 amostras de suplementos, adquiridos em farmácias e em lojas de produtos naturais. As amostras, adquiridas nas formas de cápsulas ou comprimidos foram moídas para se obter as na forma de pó homogêneo. As amostras e os padrões sintéticos dos elementos foram irradiados no reator nuclear de pesquisas IEA-R1. Irradiações de 8 h sob um fluxo de nêutrons térmicos de 5x1012 n cm –2 s-1 foram realizadas para a determinação dos elementos Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, Se e Zn e para a determinação dos elementos As, Cu, Fe, K, Na as amostras foram irradiadas por 1 h sob fluxo de nêutrons térmicos da ordem de 1x1012 n cm –2 s-1. As medidas das atividades gama induzidas foram realizadas usando um detector de Ge hiperpuro acoplado a um espectrometro de raios gama. Os resultados das quantidades obtidas nas amostras de suplementos foram em geral, concordantes com os valores apresentados nos seus respectivos rótulos. Elementos tóxicos como As, Cd, Hg e Sb não foram detectados em nenhuma das amostras. Para o controle da qualidade dos resultados analíticos com relação à exatidão e precisão foram analisados os materiais certificados de referência NIST 1400 Bone Ash e NIST 1633b Coal Fly Ash ambos da National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Os resultados obtidos nestes materiais de referência apresentaram uma boa precisão e exatidão e os valores de Z score ou diferença padronizada obtidos das análises, foram menores que 2 indicando que os resultados obtidos são satisfatórios e estão dentro da faixa dos valores dos certificados a um nível de confiança de 95%. / The control of element composition in nutritional supplements is of great interest due to increasingly high consumption and a large diversity and brands of these products offered in market. Therefore, there is the necessity to evaluate the element contents in the supplements and to compare with those values declared on the labels. In this study neutron activation analysis (NAA) was applied to evaluate the element composition of 11 commercial nutritional supplement brands bought in natural product drugstores and pharmacies. These samples acquired in capsule or tablet forms were ground to a homogeneous powder. The samples were irradiated together with the elemental standards in the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor. Irradiations of 8 h under a thermal neutron flux of 5x1012n cm-2s-1 were carried out for Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, Se and Zn determinations. For Cu, K and Na determinations thermal neutron flux of 1x1012n cm-2s-1 was used and, the exposure time was 1h. The induced gamma activities were measured using a hyperpure Ge detector coupled to a gamma ray spectrometer. The obtained results compared with the values of the labels of nutritional supplements presented good agreement for most of the elements. Toxic elements such as As, Cd, Hg and Sb were not detected in the samples. For quality control of the analytical data, certified reference materials NIST 1400 Bone Ash and NIST 1633b Coal Fly Ash provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology were also analysed. Accuracy and precision of these results were evaluated. The obtained Z score values were lower than 2 indicating that the data are within the ranges of certified values at 95% confidence level.

O controle da composição dos elementos presentes nos suplementos nutricionais é de grande importância devido ao crescente consumo e a comercialização de diversos tipos e marcas destes produtos. A determinação da quantidade de elementos nos suplementos torna – se necessária para comparar com os valores declarados nos seus rótulos. Neste trabalho, a ativação com nêutrons foi aplicada à análise de 11 amostras de suplementos, adquiridos em farmácias e em lojas de produtos naturais. As amostras, adquiridas nas formas de cápsulas ou comprimidos foram moídas para se obter as na forma de pó homogêneo. As amostras e os padrões sintéticos dos elementos foram irradiados no reator nuclear de pesquisas IEA-R1. Irradiações de 8 h sob um fluxo de nêutrons térmicos de 5x1012 n cm –2 s-1 foram realizadas para a determinação dos elementos Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, Se e Zn e para a determinação dos elementos As, Cu, Fe, K, Na as amostras foram irradiadas por 1 h sob fluxo de nêutrons térmicos da ordem de 1x1012 n cm –2 s-1. As medidas das atividades gama induzidas foram realizadas usando um detector de Ge hiperpuro acoplado a um espectrometro de raios gama. Os resultados das quantidades obtidas nas amostras de suplementos foram em geral, concordantes com os valores apresentados nos seus respectivos rótulos. Elementos tóxicos como As, Cd, Hg e Sb não foram detectados em nenhuma das amostras. Para o controle da qualidade dos resultados analíticos com relação à exatidão e precisão foram analisados os materiais certificados de referência NIST 1400 Bone Ash e NIST 1633b Coal Fly Ash ambos da National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Os resultados obtidos nestes materiais de referência apresentaram uma boa precisão e exatidão e os valores de Z score ou diferença padronizada obtidos das análises, foram menores que 2 indicando que os resultados obtidos são satisfatórios e estão dentro da faixa dos valores dos certificados a um nível de confiança de 95%. / The control of element composition in nutritional supplements is of great interest due to increasingly high consumption and a large diversity and brands of these products offered in market. Therefore, there is the necessity to evaluate the element contents in the supplements and to compare with those values declared on the labels. In this study neutron activation analysis (NAA) was applied to evaluate the element composition of 11 commercial nutritional supplement brands bought in natural product drugstores and pharmacies. These samples acquired in capsule or tablet forms were ground to a homogeneous powder. The samples were irradiated together with the elemental standards in the IEA-R1 nuclear research reactor. Irradiations of 8 h under a thermal neutron flux of 5x1012n cm-2s-1 were carried out for Ca, Co, Cr, Fe, Se and Zn determinations. For Cu, K and Na determinations thermal neutron flux of 1x1012n cm-2s-1 was used and, the exposure time was 1h. The induced gamma activities were measured using a hyperpure Ge detector coupled to a gamma ray spectrometer. The obtained results compared with the values of the labels of nutritional supplements presented good agreement for most of the elements. Toxic elements such as As, Cd, Hg and Sb were not detected in the samples. For quality control of the analytical data, certified reference materials NIST 1400 Bone Ash and NIST 1633b Coal Fly Ash provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology were also analysed. Accuracy and precision of these results were evaluated. The obtained Z score values were lower than 2 indicating that the data are within the ranges of certified values at 95% confidence level.

Purpose of this study was to compare two methods of supplementing diets in order to provide additional protein and calories to increase body weight. The study consisted of two groups from the James H. Quillen Veterans Affair Medical Center Nursing Home Care Unit. Experimental group received foods fortified with increased calories and protein at mealtimes. Control group received nutrition supplements between meals. Fifteen subjects began the study. Analysis of weight change revealed that those in the experimental group had no weight change over the four months. Subjects in the control group gained an average of 4.8 lbs of body weight in the same period. The Mann-Whitney Test was used to determine if the weight changes were significantly different between groups. Analysis indicated that (p-value = 0.2550) there was no significant difference in body weight gain between the groups. A larger sample size would have improved the outcome of the study.