Lead concentrations was measured in samples of mineral mixtures used in beef cattle feed in the states of Sao Paulo, Parana, Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Lead content was determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Of the 60 analyzed samples, 21 had values greater than 30 ppm (range less 1.6 to 460 ppm), which is the maximum concentration recommended [3,14]. These findings show the necessity for careful industrial monitoring because some mineral mixtures contain sufficient lead to cause toxicity in animals.
Animal Feed/*analysis ; Animals ; Brazil ; *Cattle ; Dietary Supplements/analysis ; Lead/*analysis

OBJECTIVES: To study the efficacy of intermittent iron supplementation in children with mild iron-deficiency anemia. METHODS: A total of 147 children with mild iron-deficiency anemia were enrolled in this prospective study. They were divided into an intermittent iron supplementation group (n=83) and a conventional iron supplementation group (n=64). The levels of hemoglobin were measured before treatment and after 1 and 3 months of treatment. The treat response rate and the incidence rate of adverse drug reactions were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Both groups had a significant increase in the level of hemoglobin after iron supplementation (P<0.05). After 1 month of treatment, the conventional iron supplementation group had a significantly higher treatment response rate than the intermittent iron supplementation group (61% vs 42%, P<0.05). After 3 months of treatment, there was no significant difference in the treatment response between the two groups (86% vs 78%, P>0.05). The incidence rate of adverse drug reactions in the conventional iron supplementation group was significantly higher than that in the intermittent iron supplementation group (25% vs 8%, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS For children with mild iron-deficiency anemia, although intermittent iron supplementation is inferior to conventional iron supplementation in the short-term efficacy, there is no significant difference in the long-term efficacy between the two methods, and compared with conventional iron supplementation, intermittent iron supplementation can reduce the incidence of adverse drug reactions, alleviate family financial burdens, and improve treatment compliance of children, thus holding promise for clinical application.
Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/epidemiology* ; Child ; Dietary Supplements/adverse effects* ; Hemoglobins/analysis* ; Humans ; Iron, Dietary/adverse effects* ; Prospective Studies

Antibiotics have been used to prevent disease, promote growth rate, and improve feed efficiency. However, the use of antibiotics in livestock has been restricted worldwide due to problems such as bacterial resistance. Therefore, probiotics among alternatives to antibiotics have gained attention in the livestock feed industry these days. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with probiotic 379D on safety, growth rate, and feed efficiency. In this study, bacterial strain 379D was isolated from soil and identified as a Bacillus sp. according to 16S rRNA sequence analysis. In an in vitro test, in-gel activity assay and antimicrobial susceptibility test were conducted to evaluate 379D. In an in vivo study, 379D was administered at concentrations of 0.1% and 1% to broiler chickens for 28 days. The results of in-gel activity assay and antimicrobial susceptibility test showed that strain 379D had broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, no adverse 379D-related effects were observed in 0.1% and 1% groups. Feed efficiency was higher in the 379D-treated groups than in the control group. In conclusion, 379D is expected to be used as a safe alternative to antibiotics in a feed supplement and will improve feed efficiency in broiler chickens.
Anti-Bacterial Agents* ; Bacillus ; Chickens* ; Dietary Supplements ; Livestock ; Probiotics* ; Sequence Analysis ; Soil

OBJECTIVEThis study was designed to investigate the nutraceutical potential of monofloral Indian mustard bee pollen (MIMBP).

METHODSThe nutritional value of MIMBP was examined in terms of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and energy value. Its chemical composition in terms of total polyphenol and flavonoid content was determined. MIMBP was screened for free flavonoid aglycones by developing and validating a high-performance liquid chromatography-photo diode array (HPLC-PDA) method. MIMBP was analyzed for in vitro antioxidant effect in terms of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity.

RESULTSMIMBP was found to be comprised of proteins ((182.2±5.9) g/kg), fats ((137.7±6.8) g/kg) and carbohydrates ((560.6±17.4) g/kg), which result in its high energy value ((17 616.7±78.6) kJ/kg). MIMBP was found to contain polyphenols ((18 286.1±374.0) mg gallic acid equivalent/kg) and flavonoids ((1 223.5±53.1) mg quercetin equivalent/kg). The HPLC-PDA analysis revealed the presence of kaempferol ((65.4±0.5) mg/kg) and quercetin ((51.4±0.4) mg/kg) in MIMBP, which can be used as markers for determining the quality of bee pollen. The MIMBP extract showed DPPH free radical-scavenging activity with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 54.79 μg/mL.

CONCLUSIONThe MIMBP was found to be a rich source of nutrients providing high caloric value, which makes it a candidate for a potential nutraceutical agent. The study also illustrated the high antioxidant content of MIMBP, especially in the principle polyphenols and flavonoids, which suggests its potential role in the prevention of free radical-implicated diseases. The DPPH-scavenging effect of MIMBP further confirmed its antioxidant potential. Additionally, we developed a simple, specific and accurate HPLC-PDA method for the identification and quantification of free flavonoid aglycones. This can be applied in future screenings of the quality of pollen collected by honeybees.

Animals ; Bees ; chemistry ; Dietary Supplements ; analysis ; Free Radical Scavengers ; analysis ; Mustard Plant ; chemistry ; Plant Extracts ; analysis ; Pollen ; chemistry ; Polyphenols ; analysis

OBJECTIVETo assess the effectiveness of complementary food supplements with protein and multi-micronutrients on hemoglobin and anemia in infants and young children.

METHODSIn 5 poor counties of Gansu, 984 children aged 6-12 months were enrolled and divided into two groups. In addition to the usual home-made complementary food, all the children were fed one sachet of either Formula I or Formula II supplements each day. Protein and micronutrients were provided in Formula I, while the same energy intake was secured in Formula II as in Formula I. A massive dose of vitamin A was supplemented to all the children every 6 months. Hemoglobin test was done at the same time.

RESULTSPrevalence of anemia was about 35% in both Formula I and Formula II group at baseline, and there were no differences in hemoglobin concentration between the two groups. During the 6-month and 12-month supplementation, hemoglobin of children in Formula I group was higher than that in Formula II group (P < 0.05), and hemoglobin increase in Formula I group was significantly higher than that in Formula II group (P < 0.001). After 6- and 12-month supplementation, the prevalence of anemia in Formula I group dropped to 19.1% and 8.2% respectively, and it was 28.0% and 12.4% in Formula 2 group. The prevalence of anemia in Formula I group was significantly lower than that in Formula II group (P < 0.05). After adjusting age and hemoglobin level at baseline, the hemoglobin increase at age of 24 months in formula 1 group was higher (10.7 g/L vs 7.9 g/L, P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONMicronutrient fortified complementary food supplements, with large-dose vitamin A, is effective for children aged 6-12 months in terms of iron deficiency prevention.

Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; blood ; prevention & control ; China ; Dietary Supplements ; Food, Fortified ; analysis ; Hemoglobins ; metabolism ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant Food ; analysis ; Iron, Dietary ; administration & dosage ; pharmacology ; Poverty ; Rural Population

OBJECTIVEA new method for safety monitoring of natural dietary supplements--quality profile was proposed. It would convert passive monitoring of synthetic drug to active, and guarantee the security of natural dietary supplements. Preliminary research on quality profile was completed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS).

METHODSHPLC was employed to analyze chemical constituent profiles of natural dietary supplements. The separation was completed on C18 column with acetonitrile and water (0.05% H3PO4) as mobile phase, the detection wavelength was 223 nm. Based on HPLC, stability of quality profile had been studied, and abnormal compounds in quality profile had been analyzed after addition of phenolphthalein, sibutramine, rosiglitazone, glibenclamide and gliclazide. And by MS, detector worked with ESI +, capillary voltage: 3.5 kV, cone voltage: 30 V, extractor voltage: 4 V, RF lens voltage: 0.5 V, source temperature: 105 degrees C, desolvation temperature: 300 degrees C, desolvation gas flow rate: 260 L/h, cone gas flow rate: 50 L/h, full scan mass spectra: m/z 100-600. Abnormal compound in quality profile had been analyzed after addition of N-mono-desmethyl sibutramine.

RESULTSQuality profile based on HPLC had good stability (Similarity > 0.877). Addition of phenolphthalein, sibutramine, rosiglitazone, glibenclamide and gliclazide in natural dietary supplements could be reflected by HPLC, and addition of N-mono-desmethyl sibutramine in natural dietary supplements could be reflected by MS.

CONCLUSIONQuality profile might monitor adulteration of natural dietary supplements, and prevent addition of synthetic drug after "approval".

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Dietary Supplements ; adverse effects ; analysis ; standards ; Humans ; Quality Control ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; methods

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Folic acid supplementation before pregnancy is known to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. The purposes of this study were to investigate the awareness, knowledge, and use of folic acid supplements along with their associated factors among non-pregnant Korean women of childbearing age. SUBJECTS/METHODS: From August 2012 to March 2013, 704 women aged 19–45 years completed a self-administered questionnaire regarding their awareness, knowledge, and use of folic acid as well as questions to identify risk of inadequate folate intake. RESULTS: Approximately 67% of women reported that they had heard of folic acid, and 23.7% had knowledge of both the role of folic acid in preventing birth defects and appropriate time for taking folic acid supplements to prevent birth defects. However, only 9.4% of women took folic acid supplements at the time of the survey. Women aged 19–24 years, unmarried women, and women who had never been pregnant were less likely to be aware and knowledgeable of folic acid or take folic acid supplements. In addition, women at high risk of inadequate folate intake were less likely to take folic acid supplements. In a multivariate analysis, women aged 19–24 years, women with a high school diploma or lower education level, and unmarried women were less likely to be aware and have knowledge of folic acid. The percentage of women taking folic acid supplements was significantly higher among knowledgeable women than among unknowledgeable women. CONCLUSIONS: These results support our hypothesis that women with knowledge of folic acid are more likely to take folic acid supplements. Therefore, educational programs or campaigns to improve knowledge regarding the importance of folic acid and to promote consumption of folic acid supplements as well as folate-rich foods are needed to target young, less educated, and unmarried women.
Congenital Abnormalities ; Dietary Supplements ; Education ; Female ; Folic Acid ; Humans ; Multivariate Analysis ; Neural Tube Defects ; Pregnancy ; Single Person

Aeriscardovia aeriphila, also known as Bifidobacterium aerophilum, was first isolated from the caecal contents of pigs and the faeces of cotton-top tamarin. Bifidobacterium species play important roles in preventing intestinal infections, decreasing cholesterol levels, and stimulating the immune system. In this study, we isolated a strain of bacteria from the duodenal contents of broiler chickens, which was identified as A. aeriphila, and then evaluated the effects of A. aeriphila on growth performance, antioxidant functions, immune functions, and gut microbiota in commercial broiler chickens. Chickens were orally gavaged with A. aeriphila (1×10⁹ CFU/mL) for 21 d. The results showed that A. aeriphila treatment significantly increased the average daily gain and reduced the feed conversion ratio (P<0.001). The levels of serum growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were significantly increased following A. aeriphila treatment (P<0.05). Blood urea nitrogen and aspartate aminotransferase levels were decreased, whereas glucose and creatinine levels increased as a result of A. aeriphila treatment. Furthermore, the levels of serum antioxidant enzymes, including catalase (P<0.01), superoxide dismutase (P<0.001), and glutathione peroxidase (P<0.05), and total antioxidant capacity (P<0.05) were enhanced following A. aeriphila treatment. A. aeriphila treatment significantly increased the levels of serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) (P<0.05), IgG (P<0.01), IgM (P<0.05), interleukin-1 (IL-1) (P<0.05), IL-4 (P<0.05), and IL-10 (P<0.05). The broiler chickens in the A. aeriphila group had higher secretory IgA (SIgA) levels in the duodenum (P<0.01), jejunum (P<0.001), and cecum (P<0.001) than those in the control group. The messenger RNA (mRNA) relative expression levels of IL-10 (P<0.05) and IL-4 (P<0.001) in the intestinal mucosa of chickens were increased, while nuclear factor-‍κB (NF‍-‍κB) (P<0.001) expression was decreased in the A. aeriphila group compared to the control group. Phylum-level analysis revealed Firmicutes as the main phylum, followed by Bacteroidetes, in both groups. The data also found that Phascolarctobacterium and Barnesiella were increased in A. aeriphila-treated group. In conclusion, oral administration of A. aeriphila could improve the growth performance, serum antioxidant capacity, immune modulation, and gut health of broilers. Our findings may provide important information for the application of A. aeriphila in poultry production.
Animals ; Swine ; Antioxidants/pharmacology* ; Chickens ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Interleukin-10/pharmacology* ; Interleukin-4/pharmacology* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Immunity ; Diet/veterinary* ; Animal Feed/analysis* ; Dietary Supplements/analysis*

OBJECTIVETo study trend of dynamic change in level of serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) in the process of iron supplementation to provide evidence for sTfR in evaluating the efficacy of iron supplementation.

METHODSTotally, 942 child-bearing-age women aged 18 to 45 years were selected from Longfang City, Hebei Province and Shunyi County, Beijing. Biochemical indicators of iron metabolism were measured for all of them, including serum levels of ferritin (SF) and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), and hemoglobin (Hb). According to the current criteria for assessing iron status, women were screened for iron deficiency erythropoiesis (IDE) or iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Seventy-two women agreed to participate in the study, and 59 of them finished whole dynamic observations with signed informed consent. Four capsules of ferrous L-threonate (containing 7 mg of iron element per capsule) were administered for women with IDE every other day and for women with IDA every day, respectively, for 12 weeks. Serum biochemical indicators and level of sTfR were measured in 0 wk, 3 wk, 6 wk, 9 wk and 12 wk, respectively, during the process of iron supplementation, and their dynamic changes were observed.

RESULTSLevel of sTfR in women with IDE and IDA was (26.62 +/- 10.57) nmol/L and (41.25 +/- 21.96) nmol/L, respectively, significantly higher than normal level. During the process of iron supplementation, level of sTfR changed as the following characteristics. In women with IDE, level of sTfR kept stable within the first 3 weeks of iron supplementation, then dropped gradually and progressively, reached to normal, with (17.86 +/- 5.57) nmol/L, in the 12 wk after iron supplementation. In women with IDA, level of sTfR dropped quickly within the first 3 wk of iron supplementation, then dropped slowly until the 9th wk and kept stable, and reached to normal level in the 12 wk, with (19.54 +/- 5.94) nmol/L and a ratio of sTfR/SF of 12.23 +/- 4.34. Ratio of sTfR/SF changed as level of sTfR during the process of iron supplementation. Level of sTfR correlated reversely with levels of Hb and SF and positively with level of ZPP.

CONCLUSIONSerum level of sTfR in child-bearing age women gradually decreased to normal with the restoration of their normal iron status during the process of iron supplementation and could be used as a specific indicator for assessing efficacy of iron supplementation.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency ; blood ; drug therapy ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Dietary Supplements ; Female ; Hemoglobins ; analysis ; Humans ; Iron ; administration & dosage ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Protoporphyrins ; blood ; Receptors, Transferrin ; blood

This study examined the effects of dietary alpha-tocopheryl acetate supplementation on antioxidant enzyme activities and fillet quality in commercial-size Sparus macrocephalus. Three hundred fish [main initial weight (350+/-12) g] were divided into three groups (E250, E500 and E1000) and reared in 9 cages. The fish were fed for 8 weeks with three diets containing different levels of dietary alpha-tocopheryl acetate (289, 553, 1 069 mg/kg). Over the experimental period, fish were fed to satiation and reached a final mean weight of (465+/-28) g without significant body weight difference and proximate composition difference. Fillet alpha-tocopherol was significantly (P<0.05) different between groups, reaching levels of 14.2, 22.1, 30.9 microg/mg fillet for groups E250, E500 and E1000, respectively. Total serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity increased significantly (P<0.05) in fish fed the diets high in alpha-tocopheryl acetate, but serum glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity was unaffected. In storage on ice, fillets of fish fed the diets high in alpha-tocopheryl acetate exhibited significantly lower (P<0.05) levels of oxidation. These results suggested that increased dietary alpha-tocopheryl acetate could increase its flesh deposition, increase the activity of SOD and prevent lipid peroxidation of Sparus macrocephalus fillets in retail storage on ice.
Abattoirs ; Administration, Oral ; Animals ; Dietary Supplements ; Enzyme Activation ; drug effects ; Food Analysis ; Meat ; classification ; Oxidoreductases ; metabolism ; Tocopherols ; alpha-Tocopherol ; administration & dosage ; analogs & derivatives