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Background/Objectives: Evidence on the role of diet in relation to prostate cancer progression is sparse. Foods rich in lignans have shown beneficial effects on prostate cancer progression in both animal studies and small human intervention studies, including beneficial effects on prostate-specific antigen levels and tumour growth. The lignan metabolite, enterolactone, has further shown to slow prostate cancer cell growth in vitro. The aim was to investigate the association between prediagnostic enterolactone concentrations and mortality among men with prostate cancer. Subljects/Methods: Prediagnostic plasma concentrations of enterolactone from 1390 men diagnosed with prostate cancer from the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort were related to all-cause or prostate cancer-specific death, using Cox proportional hazards models with follow-up time (from the date of diagnose until the date of death, emigration or end of follow-up by December 2013) as the underlying time axis. Results: The hazard ratios for enterolactone concentrations assessed linearly by 20 nmol/l increments was 0.95 (0.90, 1.02) for all-cause mortality and 0.98 (0.92, 1.05) for prostate cancer-specific mortality. Categorisation of enterolactone concentrations into quartiles did not reveal a different pattern. No effect modifications by smoking, body mass index or sport were observed, and the associations did not differ by prostate cancer aggressiveness. Conclusions: We found no association between enterolactone concentrations and mortality among men diagnosed with prostate cancer., Author(s): A K Eriksen [sup.1] , C Kyrø [sup.1] , N Nørskov [sup.2] , A K Bolvig [sup.2] , J Christensen [sup.1] , A Tjønneland [sup.1] , K Overvad [sup.3] [...]

Background: Observational studies suggest inverse associations between wholegrain intake and body weight gain. Only few controlled intervention studies have supported this association and few compare effects of different grain varieties. Objective: To investigate how wholegrain wheat (WGW) and rye compared with refined wheat (RW) affect body weight and composition and appetite sensation. Design: Seventy overweight/obese adults participated in this 6-week randomized parallel study, in which they replaced their habitual cereal foods with RW, WGW or wholegrain rye (WGR). Further, a 4 h postprandial test meal challenge was completed with meals corresponding to diet allocation in the beginning and after the intervention. Body weight and composition, fasted blood samples, compliance and 4-day dietary intake were obtained before and after the intervention period. Appetite and breath hydrogen excretion was assessed during the postprandial test meal challenge. Results: Diet allocation affected body weight significantly (P=0.013) and tended also to affect fat mass (P=0.065). Both body weight and fat mass decreased more in the WGR group (-1.06[plus or minus]1.60 and -0.75[plus or minus]1.29 kg, respectively) compared with the RW group (+0.15[plus or minus]1.28 and -0.04[plus or minus]0.82 kg, respectively; P Conclusions: Our results support a role for WGR foods in body weight regulation, when provided ad libitum. The effect may be mediated by satiation reflected in a reduction in energy intake, mainly from the wholegrain products without compensation in other parts of the diets, despite no difference in appetite., Author(s): J Suhr [sup.1] , S Vuholm [sup.1] , K N Iversen [sup.1] , R Landberg [sup.2] [sup.3] , M Kristensen [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) Department of Nutrition, Exercise and [...]

Background/Objectives: Whole grain intake has been associated with a small but significant lower body weight gain in observational studies, but there is limited knowledge about the associations with specific whole grain types. The objective was to investigate the association between whole grains, different sources of whole grains and biomarkers of whole grain intake (alkylresorcinols) in relation to subsequent changes in waist circumference (WC) and body weight. Subjects/Methods: Cohort study of 57 053 participants with baseline information on whole grain intake from questionnaires (FFQ) and biomarkers of whole grain rye and wheat intake, plasma alkylresorcinols, for a subset. WC and body weight were measured at baseline and again at follow-up. The associations were estimated using multiple linear regression analyses and logistic regression. Results: For women, overall whole grain intake was not related to changes in WC or body weight. For men, total whole grain intake was associated with gains in WC ([DELTA]WC per 25 g increment: 0.44 cm, 95% CI: 0.34 cm; 0.54 cm) and body weight ([DELTA]weight per 25 g increment: 150 g, 95% CI: 78 g; 222 g), but the results changed to null or changed direction when adjusting for baseline anthropometry. For the different sources of whole grains, rye (women) and crispbread was significantly associated with gains in WC and body weight. Plasma alkylresorcinol concentration was associated with reduced WC, but not body weight, for women ([DELTA]WC per 50 nmol/l increment: -0.69 cm, 95% CI:-1.26 cm;-0.13 cm), but no association was found for men. Conclusions: Overall, no strong relationship between whole grain intake, measured from questionnaires or using biomarkers was found in relation to changes in body weight and WC., Author(s): C Kyrø [sup.1] [sup.2] , M Kristensen [sup.3] , M U Jakobsen [sup.4] , J Halkjær [sup.1] , R Landberg [sup.5] , HB(as) Bueno-de-Mesquita [sup.6] [sup.7] [sup.8] , J [...]

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Alkylresorcinols (ARs) have been suggested as biomarkers of whole-grain wheat and rye intake. Plasma AR concentrations have a short half-life; hence, long-term biomarkers are needed. This study evaluated the responsiveness of ARs in adipose tissue biopsies as biomarkers after a whole-grain intake intervention. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Samples and data of 27 participants from a 12-week randomized parallel-group dietary intervention were available. The participants were replacing their habitual diet with a whole-grain-enriched diet (WGDG) or a refined grain diet (RDG) during the intervention. Blood samples and adipose tissue biopsies were collected at baseline and after 12 weeks, and AR concentrations in the plasma and adipose tissues from the participants were compared against estimated whole-grain intake. RESULTS: AR concentrations in the adipose tissue and plasma did not change after 12 weeks in the WGDG group, as no significant increase in whole-grain intake was observed, but was significantly lower than baseline in the RDG group (P < 0.05), owing to decreased whole-grain intake in this group. Plasma and adipose tissue AR concentrations were significantly higher in the WGDG group than in the RDG group (P < 0.05), and were highly correlated with average whole-grain intake estimated by food records (Spearman's r = 0.60-0.72 (P < 0.05, n = 16) for total and individual AR homolog concentrations in the plasma; r = 0.60-0.84, (P < 0.05, n =16) for total and individual AR homolog concentrations in the adipose tissue). CONCLUSIONS: In this small pilot study, AR concentrations in adipose tissue responded to reduced intake of whole grain over 12 weeks. Although not significantly different from plasma AR, adipose tissue AR concentrations were highly correlated with wholegrain intake after a 12-week intervention. These results show that adipose tissue AR concentrations have promise as biomarkers of whole-grain wheat and rye intake. Larger studies are needed to evaluate whether they are better long-term biomarkers than AR in the plasma. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2015) 69, 1244-1248; doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2015.138; published online 2 September 2015, INTRODUCTION Epidemiological studies consistently show a reduced risk of colorectal cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in different populations when comparing high versus low wholegrain intake. (1-5) Whole-grain foods [...]

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Few studies have used biomarkers of whole-grain intake to study its relation to glucose metabolism. We aimed to investigate the association between plasma alkylresorcinols (AR), a biomarker of whole-grain rye and wheat intake, and glucose metabolism in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Participants were 30-65 years of age, with body mass index 27-40 kg/[m.sup.2] and had MetS without diabetes. Individuals were recruited through six centers in the Nordic countries and randomized to a healthy Nordic diet (ND, n = 96), rich in whole-grain rye and wheat, or a control diet (n = 70), for 18-24 weeks. In addition, associations between total plasma AR concentration and C17:0/C21:0 homolog ratio as an indication of the relative whole-grain rye intake, and glucose metabolism measures from oral glucose tolerance tests were investigated in pooled (ND + control) regression analyses at 18/24 weeks. RESULTS: ND did not improve glucose metabolism compared with control diet, but the AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio was inversely associated with fasting insulin concentrations (P = 0.002) and positively associated with the insulin sensitivity indices Matsuda ISI (P = 0.026) and disposition index (P = 0.022) in pooled analyses at 18/24 weeks, even after adjustment for confounders. The AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio was not significantly associated with insulin secretion indices. Total plasma AR concentration was not related to fasting plasma glucose or fasting insulin at 18/24 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: The AR C17:0/C21:0 ratio, an indicator of relative whole-grain rye intake, is associated with increased insulin sensitivity in a population with MetS. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2014) 68, 453-458; doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2014.12; published online 19 February 2014 Keywords: alkylresorcinols; insulin sensitivity; whole grain; rye, INTRODUCTION Whole-grain and cereal fiber consumption has been inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes and insulin sensitivity in observational studies, (1-5) but findings have been inconsistent in [...]

Thearubigins (TR) are polymeric flavanol-derived compounds formed during the fermentation of tea leaves. Comprising ~70% of total polyphenols in black tea, TR may contribute majorly to its beneficial effects on health. To date, there is no appropriate food composition data on TR, although several studies have used data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) database to estimate TR intakes. We aimed to estimate dietary TR in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort and assess the impact of including TR or not in the calculation of the total dietary flavonoid intake. Dietary data were collected using a single standardized 24-h dietary recall interviewer-administered to 36037 subjects aged 35-74 years. TR intakes were calculated using the USDA database. TR intakes ranged from 0.9 mg/day in men from Navarra and San Sebastian in Spain to 532.5 mg/day in men from UK general population. TR contributed European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2013) 67, 779-782; doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.89; published online 24 April 2013 Keywords: thearubigins; flavonoids; dietary intake; sources; EPIC, INTRODUCTION Nowadays, much attention is paid to black tea due to its potential role in chronic disease prevention, such as cardiovascular disease (1) and some types of cancer, such as [...]

BACKGROUND/OJBECTIVES: Alkylresorcinols (AR) have been suggested as specific biomarkers of whole-grain (WG) and bran intake from wheat and rye. Before using plasma AR as biomarkers in prospective cohort studies, the long-term reproducibility needs to be determined in order to judge how well a single plasma sample reflects the long-term concentration. The objective was therefore to estimate the reproducibility of plasma AR concentrations over 0.1-3.9 years. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The concentrations of AR homologues were analysed in plasma samples, drawn > 8 h since last meal, 0.1-3.9 years apart (mean ~2 years) in 74 participants in the Swedish prospective Vasterbotten Intervention Project cohort. Reproducibility was estimated by calculating the intra class correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: Fasting plasma AR concentrations were similar between the first and second measurements. The ICC for total AR was 0.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.38-0.69] overall, 0.34 (95% CI = 0.13-0.64) for men and 0.73 (95% CI = 0.56-0.85) for women, respectively. Somewhat higher ICCs were obtained for shorter AR homologues. CONCLUSION: In summary, the reproducibility of plasma AR over 0.1-3.9 years was high for women and moderate for men within this population. Together with previous data showing high validity of plasma AR as biomarkers of wheat and rye in different populations, the current finding suggest that this biomarker is stable over a long-time period and is therefore probably useful for assessment of long-term WG intake in populations with a wide intake range and a frequent intake. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2013) 67, 259-263; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2013.10;published online 6 February 2013 Keywords: alkylresorcinols; whole grain; biomarker; reproducibility; cohort, INTRODUCTION Whole-grain (WG) intake in epidemiological studies has consistently been associated with lower incidences of coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and several of their risk factors such as overweight, [...]

A growing body of research on nutrition omics has led to recent advances in cardiovascular disease epidemiology and prevention. Within the PREDIMED trial, significant associations between diet-related metabolites and cardiovascular disease were identified, which were subsequently replicated in independent cohorts. Some notable metabolites identified include plasma levels of ceramides, acyl-carnitines, branched-chain amino acids, tryptophan, urea cycle pathways, and the lipidome. These metabolites and their related pathways have been associated with incidence of both cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Future directions in precision nutrition research include: a) developing more robust multimetabolomic scores to predict long-term risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality; b) incorporating more diverse populations and a broader range of dietary patterns; and c) conducting more translational research to bridge the gap between precision nutrition studies and clinical applications., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

A phytoestrogen-rich diet has been suggested to reduce tumor proliferation among men with prostate cancer, and the effect may differ between men with different polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor-beta gene (ERβ). Patients with low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer scheduled for radical prostatectomy were randomized to an intervention group ( n  = 71) provided with soybeans and flaxseeds (∼200 mg phytoestrogens/day) to eat until surgery (approximately 6 wk) or to a control group ( n  = 69). Tumor proliferation was assessed using Ki-67 indexes, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentrations were analyzed in blood, and ERβ polymorphism was genotyped in all subjects. The intervention group had a 13% unit lower risk [95% confidence interval (CI): -28%, 1.8%] of a higher Ki-67 index compared to controls, but the effect was most pronounced among TT carriers of ERβ [risk difference (RD) -19%, 95% CI: -45%, 6.8%]. Subjects with genotype TC/CC had a lower risk (RD -29%, 95% CI: -46%, -1.2%) and TT genotype a higher risk (RD 25%, 95% CI: 8.7%, 42%) of increased PSA concentration, comparing the intervention group to controls. In conclusion, a phytoestrogen-rich diet may cause lower tumor proliferation and concentration of PSA in men with prostate cancer with a specific genetic upset of ERβ.

Background: Although insulin resistance (IR) is among the most frequent and pathogenically relevant complications accompanying childhood obesity, its role in modulating and exacerbating obesity pathophysiology has not yet been completely clarified., Methods: To get deeper insights into the interplay between childhood obesity and IR, we leveraged a comprehensive experimental design based on a combination of observational data, in vivo challenge tests (i.e., oral glucose tolerance test), and ex vivo assays (i.e., incubation of erythrocytes with insulin) using a population comprising children with obesity and IR, children with obesity without IR, and healthy controls, from whom plasma and erythrocyte samples were collected for subsequent metabolomics analysis., Results: Children with concomitant IR showed exacerbated metabolic disturbances in the crosstalk between endogenous, microbial, and environmental determinants, including failures in energy homeostasis, amino acid metabolism, oxidative stress, synthesis of steroid hormones and bile acids, membrane lipid composition, as well as differences in exposome-related metabolites associated with diet, exposure to endocrine disruptors, and gut microbiota. Furthermore, challenge tests and ex vivo assays revealed a deleterious impact of IR on individuals' metabolic flexibility, as reflected in blunted capacity to regulate homeostasis in response to hyperinsulinemia, at both systemic and erythroid levels., Conclusions: Thus, we have demonstrated for the first time that metabolite alterations in erythrocytes represent reliable and sensitive biomarkers to disentangle the metabolic complexity of IR and childhood obesity. This study emphasizes the crucial need of addressing inter-individual variability factors, such as the presence of comorbidities, to obtain a more accurate understanding of obesity-related molecular mechanisms., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The aim of this literature review was to identify and provide a summary update on the validity and applicability of the most promising dietary biomarkers reflecting the intake of important foods in the Western diet for application in epidemiological studies. Many dietary biomarker candidates, reflecting intake of common foods and their specific constituents, have been discovered from intervention and observational studies in humans, but few have been validated. The literature search was targeted for biomarker candidates previously reported to reflect intakes of specific food groups or components that are of major importance in health and disease. Their validity was evaluated according to 8 predefined validation criteria and adapted to epidemiological studies; we summarized the findings and listed the most promising food intake biomarkers based on the evaluation. Biomarker candidates for alcohol, cereals, coffee, dairy, fats and oils, fruits, legumes, meat, seafood, sugar, tea, and vegetables were identified. Top candidates for all categories are specific to certain foods, have defined parent compounds, and their concentrations are unaffected by nonfood determinants. The correlations of candidate dietary biomarkers with habitual food intake were moderate to strong and their reproducibility over time ranged from low to high. For many biomarker candidates, critical information regarding dose response, correlation with habitual food intake, and reproducibility over time is yet unknown. The nutritional epidemiology field will benefit from the development of novel methods to combine single biomarkers to generate biomarker panels in combination with self-reported data. The most promising dietary biomarker candidates that reflect commonly consumed foods and food components for application in epidemiological studies were identified, and research required for their full validation was summarized., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute.)