The aim of this review is to present the most recent scientific evidence of interactions between the intestinal microbiota and minerals, and the effect of this interaction on the health of the host. The Web of Science database from the years 2013-2017 on this topic was reviewed. Numerous in vitro studies have shown that iron significantly affects the intestinal microbiota. However, Bifidobacteriaceae are capable of binding iron in the large intestine, thereby limiting the formation of free radicals synthesized in the presence of iron, and thus reducing the risk of colorectal cancer. Animal studies have revealed that supplementation with probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics has a significant effect on bone calcium, phosphate and bone metabolism. The dynamic interaction between microbiota and zinc was shown. Human studies have provided evidence of the influence of probiotic bacteria on parathormone, calcium and phosphate levels and thus on bone resorption. Recent studies have produced new information mainly on the impact of the intestinal bacteria on the metabolism of calcium and iron. From a scientific perspective, the most urgent fields that remain to be investigated are the identification of all human gut microbes and new therapies targeting the interaction between intestinal bacteria and minerals. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Obesity in the postmenopausal period is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in women. One of the key drivers of cardiovascular risk is endothelial dysfunction; thus, this is also a crucial point for studies on new therapeutic methods of cardioprotective properties. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effect of two doses of multispecies probiotic Ecologic® Barrier supplement on functional (primary endpoint) and biochemical parameters (secondary endpoint) of endothelial dysfunction in obese postmenopausal women in a 12-week randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 81 obese Caucasian women participated in the trial. The subjects were randomly assigned to three groups that received a placebo, a low dose (LD) (2.5 × 109 colony forming units (CFU) per day), or a high dose (HD) (1 × 1010 CFU per day) of lyophilisate powder containing live multispecies probiotic bacteria. The probiotic supplement was administered each day for 12 weeks in two equal portions. A high dose probiotic supplementation for 12 weeks decreased systolic blood pressure, vascular endothelial growth factor, pulse wave analysis systolic pressure, pulse wave analysis pulse pressure, pulse wave analysis augmentation index, pulse wave velocity, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and thrombomodulin. Low doses of probiotic supplementation decreased the systolic blood pressure and interleukin-6 levels. The mean changes in the estimated parameters, compared among the three groups, revealed significant differences in the vascular endothelial growth factor, the pulse wave analysis systolic pressure, the pulse wave analysis augmentation index, the pulse wave velocity, the tumor necrosis factor alpha, and thrombomodulin. The post hoc tests showed significant differences for all parameters between HD and the placebo group, and HD and LD (besides pulse wave analysis augmentation index). We show for the first time that supplementation with multispecies probiotic Ecologic® Barrier favorably modifies both functional and biochemical markers of vascular dysfunction in obese postmenopausal women.

A range of interactions between gut microbiota and iron (Fe) metabolism is described. Oral probiotics ameliorate host’s iron status. However, this has been proven for single-strain probiotic supplements. Dose-dependence of beneficial probiotic supplementation effect on iron turnover remains unexplored. Our study aimed to investigate the effects of oral multispecies probiotic supplementation in two doses on iron status in rats. Thirty rats were randomized into three groups receiving multispecies probiotic supplement at a daily dose of 2.5 × 109 CFU (PA group, n = 10) and 1 × 1010 CFU (PB group, n = 10) or placebo (KK group, n = 10). After 6 weeks, rats were sacrificed for analysis, blood samples, and organs (the liver, heart, kidneys, spleen, pancreas, femur, testicles, duodenum, and hair) were collected. The total fecal bacteria content was higher in the PB group vs. PA group. Unsaturated iron-binding capacity was higher in the PB group vs. KK group. Serum Fe was lower in both PA and PB vs. KK group. Iron content in the liver was higher in the PB group vs. KK group; in the pancreas, this was higher in the PB group vs. the KK and PA group, and in the duodenum, it was higher in both supplemented groups vs. the KK group. A range of alterations in zinc and copper status and correlations between analyzed parameters were found. Oral multispecies probiotic supplementation exerts dose-independent and beneficial effect on iron bioavailability and duodenal iron absorption in the rat model, induces a dose-independent iron shift from serum and intensifies dose-dependent pancreatic and liver iron uptake.

Multistrain probiotic supplementation may influence iron metabolism in obese postmenopausal female patients.

Six-week-long supplementation with multispecies probiotic mixture exerts a favorable and dose-dependent effect on liver function and lipid profile in the rat model and may also have a favorable influ- ence on cardiovascular impairments. Thus, the inclusion of probiotics supplementation in cardiovascular risk management should be considered.

Intensive research is currently being performed into the genetic background of excess body mass complications such as diabetes, cardiovascular disorders, especially atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Chronic inflammation is an important process in the pathogenesis of obesity, wherein there is an aberrant expression of genes encoding adipokines. Visceral tissue is characterized by a higher expression and secretion of interleukin-8, interleukin-1ß and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 in the subcutaneous tissue secretion of leptin prevails. An important complication of obesity is obstructive sleep apnea, often observed in PraderWilli syndrome. The genetic background of sleep apnea may be a polymorphism of the SREBF1 gene. The consequence of excess body mass is metabolic syndrome, which may be related to the occurrence of the rs926198 variant of gene encoding caveolin-1. The genes of transcription factor TCF7L2 and PPAR-γ2 take part in the pathogenesis of diabetes development. It has been demonstrated that oncogenes FOS, FOSB, and JUN may be co-responsible not only for obesity but also for osteoporosis and colorectal cancer. It has been shown that weight loss causes a modification in the expression of about 100 genes involvedt in the production of substances such as cytokines and other responsible for chronic inflammation in obesity. In future studies on the complications of obesity, such scientific disciplines as proteomics, peptidomics, metabolomics and transcriptomics should be used. The aim of this study is to present the current state of knowledge about the genetic basis of obesity complications.

No abstract

Background: Antihypertensive drugs affect mineral metabolism, inflammation, and the oxidative state. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of antihypertensive monopharmacotherapy with diuretics, β-blockers, calcium antagonists (Ca-antagonists), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-I), and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (ARBs) on zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and copper (Cu) status, parameters of oxidative and inflammatory states, and glucose and lipid metabolism in patients with newly diagnosed primary arterial hypertension (AH). Methods: Ninety-eight hypertensive subjects received diuretics, β-blockers, Ca-antagonists, ACE-I, or ARB for three months. Zn, Fe, and Cu concentrations were determined in blood, urine, and hair. Results: A decrease in zinc serum and erythrocyte concentration and an increase in zinc urine concentration were registered after diuretic administration. Ca-antagonists led to a decrease in erythrocyte zinc concentration. A decrease in serum zinc concentration was observed after ACE-I. A decrease in triglyceride serum concentration was noted after ACE-I therapy, and a decrease in tumor necrosis factor-α serum concentration was seen following administration of Ca-antagonists. Hypotensive drugs led to decreases in catalase and superoxide dismutase serum concentrations. Conclusions: Three-months of monotherapy with diuretics, Ca-antagonists, or ACE-I impairs zinc status in patients with newly diagnosed primary AH. Antihypertensive monopharmacotherapy and zinc metabolism alterations affect lipid metabolism, the oxidative state, and the inflammatory state.