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Effects of probiotics administration on lactose intolerance in adulthood: A meta-analysis.
Ahn, SI, Kim, MS, Park, DG, Han, BK, Kim, YJ
Journal of dairy science. 2023;106(7):4489-4501
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Milk and dairy products are good sources of protein, calcium and other nutrients. However, many people experience lactose intolerance due to their digestive tract's inability to digest lactose, resulting in symptoms such as flatulence, abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Oral administration of certain friendly live microorganisms or probiotics can help digest lactose more efficiently as they have greater β-galactosidase (β-gal) activity. β-galactosidase is an enzyme responsible for the digestion of lactose in the dairy products. A total of twelve studies were included in this meta-analysis. The results of this meta-analysis showed an improvement in the symptoms of lactose intolerance in adult patients, following probiotic administration. Probiotic administration was also found to enhance the digestion of lactose and calcium absorption in adult patients. Healthcare professionals can use the results of this study to understand the potential benefits of oral supplementation of probiotics for adult lactose intolerance patients. However, further studies are needed to understand the relationship between calcium absorption and lactose digestion after probiotic administration.
Abstract
This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the effect of probiotic administration on adults with lactose intolerance. Twelve studies were identified from databases such as PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Web of Knowledge based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The effect size was estimated using the standardized mean difference (SMD), and Cochrane's Q test was used to evaluate the statistical heterogeneity of the effect size. Moderator analysis, including meta-ANOVA and meta-regression, were performed to determine the cause of heterogeneity in the effect size using a mixed-effect model. Egger's linear regression test was conducted to evaluate publication bias. The results showed that probiotic administration alleviated the symptoms of lactose intolerance, including abdominal pain, diarrhea, and flatulence. Among them, the area under the curve (AUC) showed the greatest decrease following probiotic administration (SMD, -4.96; 95% confidence interval, -6.92 to -3.00). In the meta-ANOVA test, abdominal pain and total symptoms decreased with monostrain probiotic administration. This combination was also effective for flatulence. The dosage of probiotics or lactose was significantly associated with a reduction in the total symptom score, and the linear regression models between the dosage and SMD were found to be Y = 2.3342 × dosage - 25.0400 (R2 = 79.68%) and Y = 0.2345 × dosage - 7.6618 (R2 = 34.03%), respectively. Publication bias was detected for most items. However, even after effect size correction, the probiotic administration effect for all items remained valid. The administration of probiotics was effective at improving adult lactose intolerance, and it is expected that the results of this study could help improve the nutritional status of adults by increasing their consumption of milk and dairy products in the future.
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Life expectancy can increase by up to 10 years following sustained shifts towards healthier diets in the United Kingdom.
Fadnes, LT, Celis-Morales, C, Økland, JM, Parra-Soto, S, Livingstone, KM, Ho, FK, Pell, JP, Balakrishna, R, Javadi Arjmand, E, Johansson, KA, et al
Nature food. 2023;4(11):961-965
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The mortality rate is rising in the United Kingdom (UK) due to the poor quality dietary patterns among the general population. Public Health England and the UK government recommend the population eat a healthy balanced diet based on the Eatwell Guide. Adherence to the Eatwell Guide dietary pattern could reduce the mortality rate among the general population in the UK. This research estimated the benefits of sustainably changing the unhealthy dietary pattern to the Eatwell Guide or longevity-associated dietary pattern on life expectancy in the UK. Longevity-associated dietary pattern is based on a moderate consumption of whole grains, fruit, fish and white meat; a substantial consumption of dairy, vegetables, nuts and legumes; a comparatively low consumption of eggs, red meat and sugar-sweetened beverages; and a low consumption of refined grains and processed meat. The unhealthy dietary pattern included limited amounts of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, legumes, fish, milk and dairy, and white meat and high consumption of processed meat, eggs, refined grains and sugar-sweetened beverages. This peer-reviewed review used prospective population-based cohort data from the UK Biobank. In UK adults aged 40 years, the change from an unhealthy dietary pattern to the Eatwell guide added 8.9 years in males and 8.6 years in females to their life expectancy. Furthermore, sustained adherence to the Eatwell guide increased life expectancy up to 10.8 years in males and 10.4 years in females. Further robust studies are required to evaluate the correlation between life expectancy and different food groups due to the limitations of the current research. However, healthcare professionals can use the results of this research to develop health policies and to understand the beneficial effect of following the Eatwell Guide or longevity dietary pattern in increasing life expectancy in middle-aged men and women in the UK.
Abstract
Adherence to healthy dietary patterns can prevent the development of non-communicable diseases and affect life expectancy. Here, using a prospective population-based cohort data from the UK Biobank, we show that sustained dietary change from unhealthy dietary patterns to the Eatwell Guide dietary recommendations is associated with 8.9 and 8.6 years gain in life expectancy for 40-year-old males and females, respectively. In the same population, sustained dietary change from unhealthy to longevity-associated dietary patterns is associated with 10.8 and 10.4 years gain in life expectancy in males and females, respectively. The largest gains are obtained from consuming more whole grains, nuts and fruits and less sugar-sweetened beverages and processed meats. Understanding the contribution of sustained dietary changes to life expectancy can provide guidance for the development of health policies.
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The best diet for your brain
Dr. Mark Hyman is a practicing family physician and an internationally recognised leader, speaker, educator, and advocate in the field of Functional Medicine. He is the founder and director of The UltraWellness Centre, the Head of Strategy and Innovation of the Cleveland Clinic Centre for Functional Medicine, a thirteen-time New York Times bestselling author, and Board President for Clinical Affairs for The Institute for Functional Medicine.
2023
Abstract
A conversation with Max Lugavere exploring the best diet for brain health. Max believes that we have control over our cognitive destiny and that we need to challenge the narrative that our brain health will decline with age. They discuss the Mediterranean-DASH Diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND), and hone in on what Max considers to be ‘genius’ foods for the brain including healthy fats (especially avocados and extra virgin olive oil) and those not so beneficial such as processed foods and seed oils. They also discuss what could be considered controversial to some, such the consumption of red meat and dairy and how best to include these in the diet to optimise brain health.
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Energy Drinks and Sleep among Adolescents.
Tomanic, M, Paunovic, K, Lackovic, M, Djurdjevic, K, Nestorovic, M, Jakovljevic, A, Markovic, M
Nutrients. 2022;14(18)
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Sleep deprivation is a common problem among adolescents. There has been an increase in the consumption of energy drinks among adolescents in recent years. It is well known that energy drinks contain caffeine, sugar, and amino acids such as taurine, B vitamins, Ginseng, and guarana, which have psychoactive properties and disrupt the circadian rhythm. Insufficient sleep can affect genes involved in circadian rhythm and serotonin pathways, resulting in a higher risk of developing mental health problems. Therefore, researchers accessed the data from a population-based cross-sectional study to evaluate the effect of an energy drink on sufficient sleep in male and female adolescents. This study found that high energy drink consumption negatively affected sufficient sleep in male and female adolescents, with boys consuming energy drinks more frequently. The intake of vegetables and water, as well as regular physical activity, were positively correlated with adequate sleep in male adolescents. Physical activity and sufficient sleep were positively correlated in girls. Girls who used sedatives were less likely to get sufficient sleep. In order to determine how the different ingredients of energy drinks affect the sleep quality and neurodevelopment of adolescents individually and synergistically, further robust studies are required. The results of this study may help healthcare professionals to understand the adverse effects of energy drinks on adolescents.
Abstract
Many adolescents worldwide have the problem of meeting recommended nightly sleep hours. The causes of sleep disturbance are multifactorial, but interest in food's effect on sleep has dramatically increased lately. In this study, we investigated the association between regular energy drink (ED) intake (weekly or more frequent) and sufficient sleep (SS) (≥8 h) in adolescents. Additional objectives were to examine the relationship between health-related behaviors and SS, stratified by gender. A population-based cross-sectional study was conducted during the 2019/2020 school year from 12 schools in Belgrade. There were 1287 students aged 15 to 19 who participated (37.4% male). We used a modified version of the food frequency questionnaire adapted for Serbian adolescents. Logistic regression revealed that regular ED consumption was an independent risk factor negatively related to SS in both sexes. Additionally, daily vegetable and water intake (≥2 L) showed a positive correlation with SS in boys, while in girls, the odds of realizing SS decreased with statements of sedative use. In conclusion, we show that ED intake is negatively associated with SS in both sexes; daily vegetable and water intake (≥2 L) may raise the odds of SS in boys, while sedative use may decrease the chances of SS in girls.
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The Effects of Dairy Product and Dairy Protein Intake on Inflammation: A Systematic Review of the Literature.
Nieman, KM, Anderson, BD, Cifelli, CJ
Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 2021;40(6):571-582
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Systemic inflammation contributes to the risk and progression of chronic disease, which is in turn influenced by several factors including diet. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to evaluate the effect of dairy products and dairy protein on markers of inflammation in adults that do not have inflammatory-related disorders. The authors analysed 27 previous randomised controlled trial, of which 19 looked at dairy products, and eight looked at dairy protein (casein or whey). In the trials which evaluated dairy products, 10 reported no effect of the intervention, while eight reported a reduction in at least one biomarker of inflammation. All eight trials that investigated dairy protein intake on markers of inflammation reported no effect. The researchers concluded that the available literature suggests that dairy products and dairy proteins have neutral to beneficial effects on biomarkers of inflammation. Additional clinical studies designed using inflammatory biomarkers as the primary outcome are needed to fully understand the effects of dairy intake on inflammation.
Abstract
Systemic inflammation is associated with obesity and chronic disease risk. Intake of dairy foods is associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease; however, the impact of dairy foods on inflammation is not well-established. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review to evaluate the effect of dairy product (milk, cheese, and yogurt) and dairy protein consumption on low-grade systemic inflammation in adults without severe inflammatory disorders. A literature search was completed in September 2019 using PubMed and CENTRAL as well as inspection of reference lists from relevant review articles. The search resulted in the identification of 27 randomized controlled trials which were included in this analysis. In the 19 trials which evaluated dairy products, 10 reported no effect of the intervention, while 8 reported a reduction in at least one biomarker of inflammation. All 8 trials that investigated dairy protein intake on markers of inflammation reported no effect of the intervention. The available literature suggests that dairy products and dairy proteins have neutral to beneficial effects on biomarkers of inflammation. Additional clinical studies designed using inflammatory biomarkers as the primary outcome are needed to fully elucidate the effects of dairy intake on inflammation.
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Effectiveness of a Multicomponent Intervention in Primary Care That Addresses Patients with Diabetes Mellitus with Two or More Unhealthy Habits, Such as Diet, Physical Activity or Smoking: Multicenter Randomized Cluster Trial (EIRA Study).
Represas-Carrera, F, Couso-Viana, S, Méndez-López, F, Masluk, B, Magallón-Botaya, R, Recio-Rodríguez, JI, Pombo, H, Leiva-Rus, A, Gil-Girbau, M, Motrico, E, et al
International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021;18(11)
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Life habits such as smoking, physical activity, and diet affect glycaemic control. The objective of this multicentre randomised cluster trial (EIRA study) was to evaluate the effectiveness of multicomponent educational interventions on glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetic patients. Interventions in multicomponent individual, group and community settings included smoking cessation, the Mediterranean diet and physical activity, as well as an assessment of the quality of life. Participants had unhealthy lifestyles prior to the intervention. The study was conducted in 26 primary healthcare centres in seven health departments in Spain over a period of 12 months. A brief intervention aimed to change the habits of the participants, including increasing physical activity, quitting smoking and adhering to the Mediterranean diet. After 12 months of intervention, there were no statistically significant improvements in glycaemic control, physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, or quality of life. However, adherence to the Mediterranean diet was statistically significant. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of multicomponent interventions in improving glycaemic control. The clinical applicability of multicomponent interventions to tackle type 2 diabetes, obesity, and unhealthy lifestyles should be considered by healthcare providers.
Abstract
Introduction: We evaluated the effectiveness of an individual, group and community intervention to improve the glycemic control of patients with diabetes mellitus aged 45-75 years with two or three unhealthy life habits. As secondary endpoints, we evaluated the inverventions' effectiveness on adhering to Mediterranean diet, physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and quality of life. Method: A randomized clinical cluster (health centers) trial with two parallel groups in Spain from January 2016 to December 2019 was used. Patients with diabetes mellitus aged 45-75 years with two unhealthy life habits or more (smoking, not adhering to Mediterranean diet or little physical activity) participated. Centers were randomly assigned. The sample size was estimated to be 420 people for the main outcome variable. Educational intervention was done to improve adherence to Mediterranean diet, physical activity and smoking cessation by individual, group and community interventions for 12 months. Controls received the usual health care. The outcome variables were: HbA1c (main), the Mediterranean diet adherence score (MEDAS), the international diet quality index (DQI-I), the international physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), sedentary lifestyle, smoking ≥1 cigarette/day and the EuroQuol questionnaire (EVA-EuroQol5D5L). Results: In total, 13 control centers (n = 356) and 12 intervention centers (n = 338) were included with similar baseline conditions. An analysis for intention-to-treat was done by applying multilevel mixed models fitted by basal values and the health center: the HbA1c adjusted mean difference = -0.09 (95% CI: -0.29-0.10), the DQI-I adjusted mean difference = 0.25 (95% CI: -0.32-0.82), the MEDAS adjusted mean difference = 0.45 (95% CI: 0.01-0.89), moderate/high physical activity OR = 1.09 (95% CI: 0.64-1.86), not living a sedentary lifestyle OR = 0.97 (95% CI: 0.55-1.73), no smoking OR = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.54-1.06), EVA adjusted mean difference = -1.26 (95% CI: -4.98-2.45). Conclusions: No statistically significant changes were found for either glycemic control or physical activity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking and quality of life. The multicomponent individual, group and community interventions only showed a statistically significant improvement in adhering to Mediterranean diet. Such innovative interventions need further research to demonstrate their effectiveness in patients with poor glycemic control.
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Yogurt, cultured fermented milk, and health: a systematic review.
Savaiano, DA, Hutkins, RW
Nutrition reviews. 2021;79(5):599-614
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Many fermented foods are associated with health benefits, including fermented dairy products. Whereby diary itself is part of many nutritional guidelines, the guidances rarely distinguish between dairy and fermented dairy. This qualitative, systematic review sought to capture how consumption of fermented milk products influences health. The review included 108 studies, with over 70% reporting beneficial health outcomes. A small number of studies reported insignificant or neutral results and four unfavourable ones. The aspects of health that were considered included lactose digestion and tolerance, gut health and disease, diarrhoea and constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, cardiovascular health and disease, hypertension, blood lipids, cancer risk, colorectal/breast/prostate cancer, weight and body composition, diabetes risk and metabolic syndrome and bone health. The authors concluded that eating fermented dairy products aided lactose digestion and showed a consistent link with reduced risk of breast and colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes, and improved weight maintenance, cardiovascular, bone, and gastrointestinal health. As dairy appears to increase the risk for prostate cancer, fermented dairy seems to be no different here to unfermented dairy at increasing the risk. Some potential mechanisms are proposed in the discussion section, how fermented dairy may elicit its health benefits. Given the predominant health benefits of fermented dairy, the authors encouraged to include fermented dairy into national nutrition guidelines and stress distinction between dairy and fermented dairy products. This review captures current evidence of the widespread health benefits of fermented dairy consumption worthwhile considering in clinical practice. In the absence of more clear findings in relation to prostate cancer and prevention, a cautious approach to dairy and fermented dairy consumption may be warranted.
Abstract
Consumption of yogurt and other fermented products is associated with improved health outcomes. Although dairy consumption is included in most dietary guidelines, there have been few specific recommendations for yogurt and cultured dairy products. A qualitative systematic review was conducted to determine the effect of consumption of fermented milk products on gastrointestinal and cardiovascular health, cancer risk, weight management, diabetes and metabolic health, and bone density using PRISMA guidelines. English language papers in PubMed were searched, with no date restrictions. In total, 1057 abstracts were screened, of which 602 were excluded owing to lack of appropriate controls, potential biases, and experimental design issues. The remaining 455 papers were independently reviewed by both authors and 108 studies were included in the final review. The authors met regularly to concur, through consensus, on relevance, methods, findings, quality, and conclusions. The included studies were published between 1979 and 2017. From the 108 included studies, 76 reported a favorable outcome of fermented milks on health and 67 of these were considered to be positive or neutral quality according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Quality Criteria Checklist. Of the 32 remaining studies, the study outcomes were either not significant (28) or unfavorable (4), and most studies (18) were of neutral quality. A causal relationship exists between lactose digestion and tolerance and yogurt consumption, and consistent associations exist between fermented milk consumption and reduced risk of breast and colorectal cancer and type 2 diabetes, improved weight maintenance, and improved cardiovascular, bone, and gastrointestinal health. Further, an association exists between prostate cancer occurrence and dairy product consumption in general, with no difference between fermented and unfermented products. This article argues that yogurt and other fermented milk products provide favorable health outcomes beyond the milk from which these products are made and that consumption of these products should be encouraged as part of national dietary guidelines. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42017068953.
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An updated systematic review and meta-analysis on adherence to mediterranean diet and risk of cancer.
Morze, J, Danielewicz, A, Przybyłowicz, K, Zeng, H, Hoffmann, G, Schwingshackl, L
European journal of nutrition. 2021;60(3):1561-1586
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The development of cancer is associated with a number of risk factors, including smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyles, alcohol consumption, infections, pollution, and dietary imbalances. Based on previous research, optimal consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, along with reduced consumption of red and processed meat, reduces cancer risk. According to this systematic review and meta-analysis, adherence to the Mediterranean diet is associated with lower cancer mortality and site-specific cancer development. A Mediterranean diet includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, whole grains, extra virgin olive oil, and low amounts of red meat, processed meat, egg, and dairy, along with moderate amounts of red wine. According to this systematic review and meta-analysis, adherence to the Mediterranean diet reduces the risk of cancer mortality and the risk of developing cancers specific to the site, such as colorectal cancer, bladder cancer, gastric cancer, and lung cancer. Among the components of the Mediterranean diet, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have been shown to reduce cancer risk. Bioactive substances found in Mediterranean diet components require additional robust studies to evaluate their benefits. A healthcare professional can use the results of this study to make clinical decisions and recommend therapeutic interventions to cancer patients.
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of current systematic review was to update the body of evidence on associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) and risk of cancer mortality, site-specific cancer in the general population; all-cause, and cancer mortality as well as cancer reoccurrence among cancer survivors. METHODS A literature search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), case-control and cohort studies published up to April 2020 was performed using PubMed and Scopus. Study-specific risk estimates for the highest versus lowest adherence to the MedDiet category were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Certainty of evidence from cohort studies and RCTs was evaluated using the NutriGrade scoring system. RESULTS The updated search revealed 44 studies not identified in the previous review. Altogether, 117 studies including 3,202,496 participants were enclosed for meta-analysis. The highest adherence to MedDiet was inversely associated with cancer mortality (RRcohort: 0.87, 95% CI 0.82, 0.92; N = 18 studies), all-cause mortality among cancer survivors (RRcohort: 0.75, 95% CI 0.66, 0.86; N = 8), breast (RRobservational: 0.94, 95% CI 0.90, 0.97; N = 23), colorectal (RRobservational: 0.83, 95% CI 0.76, 0.90; N = 17), head and neck (RRobservational: 0.56, 95% CI 0.44, 0.72; N = 9), respiratory (RRcohort: 0.84, 95% CI 0.76, 0.94; N = 5), gastric (RRobservational: 0.70, 95% CI 0.61, 0.80; N = 7), bladder (RRobservational: 0.87, 95% CI 0.76, 0.98; N = 4), and liver cancer (RRobservational: 0.64, 95% CI 0.54, 0.75; N = 4). Adhering to MedDiet did not modify risk of blood, esophageal, pancreatic and prostate cancer risk. CONCLUSION In conclusion, our results suggest that highest adherence to the MedDiet was related to lower risk of cancer mortality in the general population, and all-cause mortality among cancer survivors as well as colorectal, head and neck, respiratory, gastric, liver and bladder cancer risks. Moderate certainty of evidence from cohort studies suggest an inverse association for cancer mortality and colorectal cancer, but most of the comparisons were rated as low or very low certainty of evidence.
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The Effect of Kefir Supplementation on Improving Human Endurance Exercise Performance and Antifatigue.
Lee, MC, Jhang, WL, Lee, CC, Kan, NW, Hsu, YJ, Ho, CS, Chang, CH, Cheng, YC, Lin, JS, Huang, CC
Metabolites. 2021;11(3)
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Compared to sedentary people, athletes exhibit a much more abundant and diverse composition of gut bacteria. Hence the relationship between gut microbes and energy usage and exercise performance has attracted much attention in recent years. Probiotics and prebiotic-related products have demonstrated the potential to enhance metabolic pathways and influence energy levels, energy consumption and exercise performance. And previous studies demonstrated positive effects on exercise endurance associated with the consumption of kefir, a fermented dairy product containing Lactobacilli species as part of the microbial symbiosis. This study investigated whether kefir can promote changes in the gut microbiota, improve exercise endurance performance, and influences fatigue during and after exercise. The study enrolled sixteen, untrained 20–30-year-old for a double-blind crossover design study, supplementing with SYNKEFIR™ for 28 days whilst observing changes in metabolic markers, body composition, exercise endurance and faecal gut bacteria. In summary, supplementation with SYNKEFIR™ significantly improved exercise performance and reduced the production of lactic acid after exercise. In addition, kefir supplementation seemed to reduce fatigue and accelerated the recovery from fatigue after exercise, with a marked reduction in lactic acid production after exercise. Though kefir supplementation had no significant effect on other post-exercise fatigue biochemical indicators nor did it induce notable changes in gut bacteria composition. As SYNKEFIR™ is a starter culture isolated from traditional kefir it could be expected that other traditional kefir products would have similar effects. Kefir as a food product is suited to a wide range of people, and it could be considered part of a healthy diet plan for untrained individuals wishing to support their exercise performance.
Abstract
Kefir is an acidic, carbonated, and fermented dairy product produced by fermenting milk with kefir grains. The Lactobacillus species constitutes an important part of kefir grains. In a previous animal study, kefir effectively improved exercise performance and had anti-fatigue effects. The purpose of this research was to explore the benefits of applying kefir to improve exercise performance, reduce fatigue, and improve physiological adaptability in humans. The test used a double-blind crossover design and supplementation for 28 days. Sixteen 20-30 year-old subjects were divided into two groups in a balanced order according to each individual's initial maximal oxygen uptake and were assigned to receive a placebo (equal flavor, equal calories, 20 g/day) or SYNKEFIR™ (20 g/day) every morning. After the intervention, there were 28 days of wash-out, during which time the subjects did not receive further interventions. After supplementation with SYNKEFIR™, the exercise time to exhaustion was significantly greater than that before ingestion (p = 0.0001) and higher than that in the Placebo group by 1.29-fold (p = 0.0004). In addition, compared with the Placebo group, the SYNKEFIR™ administration group had significantly lower lactate levels in the exercise and recovery (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in the changes in the gut microbiota. Although no significant changes in body composition were found, SYNKEFIR™ did not cause adverse reactions or harm to the participants' bodies. In summary, 28 days of supplementation with SYNKEFIR™ significantly improved exercise performance, reduced the production of lactic acid after exercise, and accelerated recovery while also not causing any adverse reactions.
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Dietary Patterns and Interventions to Alleviate Chronic Pain.
Dragan, S, Șerban, MC, Damian, G, Buleu, F, Valcovici, M, Christodorescu, R
Nutrients. 2020;12(9)
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A common symptom of many conditions is pain, with chronic pain being a significant cause of emotional distress and disability. Chronic pain is associated with a pro-inflammatory state. Diet interventions can be a helpful tool for the management of chronic pain and its associated inflammation. The increase of nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich foods and the reduction of pro-inflammatory foods, as well as correcting nutrient deficiencies, all appear to have a positive effect on pain. Whilst previous research on the impact of diet therapy in chronic pain yielded varied results, the authors of this article sought to analyse the most important literature to gain more clarity and direction for future research. After a detailed introduction on the different types of pain, the article summarises the outcome of a range of dietary interventions for chronic pain management. These include calorie restriction and fasting, polyunsaturated fatty acids, low-fat plant-based diets, high protein diet, elimination diet, antioxidants and vitamins including vitamin D, fruits and fibres, prebiotics and probiotics. In the discussion, a helpful table presents the key results organised by type of pain (chronic musculoskeletal pain, chronic headache, neuropathic pain, chronic abdominal pain) and the clinical interventions that showed positive outcomes. In conclusion, diet interventions could be part of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of chronic pain. This article yields an oversight of the possible interventions to consider when supporting people with different types of chronic pain.
Abstract
Pain is one of the main problems for modern society and medicine, being the most common symptom described by almost all patients. When pain becomes chronic, the life of the patients is dramatically affected, being associated with significant emotional distress and/or functional disability. A complex biopsychosocial evaluation is necessary to better understand chronic pain, where good results can be obtained through interconnected biological, psychological, and social factors. The aim of this study was to find the most relevant articles existent in the PubMed database, one of the most comprehensive databases for medical literature, comprising dietary patterns to alleviate chronic pain. Through a combined search using the keywords "chronic pain" and "diet" limited to the last 10 years we obtained 272 results containing the types of diets used for chronic pain published in the PubMed database. Besides classical and alternative methods of treatment described in literature, it was observed that different diets are also a valid solution, due to many components with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities capable to influence chronic pain and to improve the quality of life. Thirty-eight clinical studies and randomized controlled trials are analyzed, in an attempt to characterize present-day dietary patterns and interventions to alleviate chronic pain.