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Recent research exploring the relationship between the gut and the brain suggests that the condition of the gut microbiota can influence cognitive health. A well-balanced gut microbiota may help reduce inflammation, which is linked to neurodegenerative conditions. Prebiotics, probiotics, and symbiotics are nutritional supplements and functional food components associated with gastrointestinal well-being. The bidirectional communication of the gut–brain axis is essential for maintaining homeostasis, with pre-, pro-, and symbiotics potentially affecting various cognitive functions such as attention, perception, and memory. Numerous studies have consistently shown that incorporating pre-, pro-, and symbiotics into a healthy diet can lead to improvements in cognitive functions and mood. Maintaining a healthy gut microbiota can support optimal cognitive function, which is crucial for disease prevention in our fast-paced, Westernized society. Our results indicate cognitive benefits in healthy older individuals with probiotic supplementation but not in healthy older individuals who have good and adequate levels of physical activity. Additionally, it appears that there are cognitive benefits in patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, while mixed results seem to arise in younger and healthier individuals. However, it is important to acknowledge that individual responses may vary, and the use of these dietary supplements should be tailored to each individual's unique health circumstances and needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, an increasing amount of evidence supports the notion that vitamins C, D and E, carotenoids, and omega-3 fatty acids may protect against the progression of chronic respiratory diseases. Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) primarily affects the lung, it is often accompanied by extrapulmonary manifestations such as weight loss and malnutrition, skeletal muscle dysfunction, and an excess of harmful oxidants, which can lead to a decline in quality of life and possible death. Recently, the role of various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in mitigating the effects of environmental pollution and smoking has received significant attention. Therefore, this review evaluates the most relevant and up-to-date evidence on this topic. We conducted a literature review between 15 May 2018 and 15 May 2023, using the electronic database PubMed. Our search keywords included COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, FEV1, supplementation: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B, omega-3, minerals, antioxidants, specific nutrient supplementations, clinical trials, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). We focused on studies that measured the serum levels of vitamins, as these are a more objective measure than patient self-reports. Our findings suggest that the role of appropriate dietary supplements needs to be reconsidered for individuals who are predisposed to or at risk of these conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: An increasing number of studies suggest that diet plays an important role in regulating aging processes and modulates the development of the most important age-related diseases. Objective: The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the relationship between nutrition and critical age-associated diseases. Methods: A literature review was conducted to survey recent pre-clinical and clinical findings related to the role of nutritional factors in modulation of fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging and their role in prevention of the genesis of the diseases of aging. Results: Studies show that the development of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cognitive impairment and dementia can be slowed down or prevented by certain diets with anti-aging action. The protective effects of diets, at least in part, may be mediated by their beneficial macro- (protein, fat, carbohydrate) and micronutrient (vitamins, minerals) composition. Conclusions: Certain diets, such as the Mediterranean diet, may play a significant role in healthy aging by preventing the onset of certain diseases and by improving the aging process itself. This latter can be strengthened by incorporating fasting elements into the diet. As dietary recommendations change with age, this should be taken into consideration as well, when developing a diet tailored to the needs of elderly individuals. Future and ongoing clinical studies on complex anti-aging dietary interventions translating the results of preclinical investigations are expected to lead to novel nutritional guidelines for older adults in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well accepted that COVID-19-related mortality shows a strong age dependency. However, temporal changes in the age distribution of excess relative mortality between waves of the pandemic are less frequently investigated. We aimed to assess excess absolute mortality and the age-distribution of all-cause mortality during the second and third waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Hungary compared to the same periods of non-pandemic years. Rate ratios for excess all-cause mortality with 95% confidence intervals and the number of excess deaths for the second (week 41 of 2020 through week 4 of 2021) and third waves (weeks 7–21 of 2021) of the COVID pandemic for the whole of Hungary compared to the same periods of the pre-pandemic years were estimated for 10-year age strata using Poisson regression. Altogether, 9771 (95% CI: 9554–9988) excess deaths were recorded during the second wave of the pandemic, while it was lower, 8143 (95% CI: 7953–8333) during the third wave. During the second wave, relative mortality peaked for ages 65–74 and 75–84 (RR 1.37, 95%CI 1.33–1.41, RR 1.38, 95%CI 1.34–1.42). Conversely, during the third wave, relative mortality peaked for ages 35–44 (RR 1.43, 95%CI 1.33–1.55), while those ≥65 had substantially lower relative risks compared to the second wave. The reduced relative mortality among the elderly during the third wave is likely a consequence of the rapidly increasing vaccination coverage of the elderly coinciding with the third wave. The hugely increased relative mortality of those 35–44 could point to non-biological causes, such as less stringent adherence to non-pharmaceutical measures in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]