1.
Effects of Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 Supplementation on Cognitive Impairment and Inflammation in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease: A Randomized, Single-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial.
Chen, H, Liu, S, Ge, B, Zhou, D, Li, M, Li, W, Ma, F, Liu, Z, Ji, Y, Huang, G
The journal of prevention of Alzheimer's disease. 2021;(3):249-256
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the combined action of folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation on cognitive performance and inflammation in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). DESIGN This was a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled trial. PARTICIPANTS Patients (n=120) diagnosed clinically as probable AD and in stable condition from Tianjin Key Laboratory of Cerebrovascular and Neurodegenerative Diseases. MEASUREMENTS Individuals were randomly divided into the intervention group (n=60, folic acid 1.2 mg/d + vitamin B12 50 μg/d) and the placebo group (n=60). Cognitive performance, blood folate, vitamin B12, one carbon cycle metabolite, and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured at baseline and after 6 months. The data were analyzed using linear mixed models for repeated measures. RESULTS A total of 101 participants (51 in the intervention group and 50 in the placebo group) completed the trial. Folic acid plus vitamin B12 supplementation had a beneficial effect on the MoCA total scores (P=0.029), naming scores (P=0.013), orientation scores (P=0.004), and ADAS-Cog domain score of attention (P=0.008), as compared to those of the control subjects. Moreover, supplementation significantly increased plasma SAM (P<0.001) and SAM/SAH (P<0.001), and significantly decreased the levels of serum Hcy (P<0.001), plasma SAH (P<0.001), and serum TNFα (P<0.001) compared to in the control subjects. CONCLUSIONS Folic acid and vitamin B12 supplementation showed a positive therapeutic effect in AD patients who were not on a folic acid-fortified diet. The findings of this study help to delineate nutrient intervention as far as public health management for the prevention of dementia is concerned.
2.
The role of oxidative stress in influenza virus infection.
Liu, M, Chen, F, Liu, T, Chen, F, Liu, S, Yang, J
Microbes and infection. 2017;(12):580-586
Abstract
Virus-induced oxidative stress plays an important role in the regulation of the host immune system. In this review, we provide backgrounds of the pathogenic mechanism of oxidative stress induced by influenza virus and the specific oxidant-sensitive pathways, and highlight that antioxidant is one of the effective strategies against influenza virus infection.
3.
The Effect of Iron Fortification on Iron (Fe) Status and Inflammation: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Ma, J, Sun, Q, Liu, J, Hu, Y, Liu, S, Zhang, J, Sheng, X, Hambidge, KM
PloS one. 2016;(12):e0167458
Abstract
BACKGROUND Iron deficiency (ID) is common in toddlers in developing countries. Iron fortified or meat-based complementary foods may be effective to prevent ID. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to compare iron status at 18 months and growth from 6 to 18 months in rural poor toddlers fed 3 different complementary foods. METHODS The study was nested within a larger trial in which 6-month-old infants were randomized to receive 50g/d meat (MG), an equi-caloric fortified cereal supplement (FG) or local cereal supplement (LG) for 1 year. Hb, sTfR, HsCRP, ferritin and AGP were measured in 410 blood samples collected by a random sampling (MG, 137; FG, 140; LG, 133); calprotectin was measured in feces. Body iron = -[log (sTfR ×1000/ferritin)-2.8229] /0.1207. ID = ferritin<12ug/L. RESULTS The toddlers in FG had the significantly highest levels in serum ferritin and body iron (P = 0.043, 0.004), and the rates of both ID and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) were the lowest in FG (P = 0.010, 0.021). The rate of systemic inflammation in FG was 30.71%, which was the highest among three groups (P = 0.042). No intervention effects on either the rates of ID and IDA or iron stores (serum ferritin and body iron) were shown in MG. The change in length-for-age z scores (LAZ) from 6 to 18 months among three groups was significantly different (P = 0.021) and a smaller decrease of LAZ in MG and a larger decrease of LAZ in FG were observed. CONCLUSION Iron fortified cereal improved iron status of poor rural toddlers but was also associated with systemic inflammation which was likely to impair their growth.