Mens sana in corpore sano: Does the Glycemic Index Have a Role to Play?

Abstract

Although diet interventions are mostly related to metabolic disorders, nowadays they are used in a wide variety of pathologies. From diabetes and obesity to cardiovascular diseases, to cancer or neurological disorders and stroke, nutritional recommendations are applied to almost all diseases. Among such disorders, metabolic disturbances and brain function and/or diseases have recently been shown to be linked. Indeed, numerous neurological functions are often associated with perturbations of whole-body energy homeostasis. In this regard, specific diets are used in various neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, stroke, or seizure recovery. In addition, Alzheimer’s disease and Autism Spectrum Disorders are also considered to be putatively improved by diet interventions. Glycemic index diets are a novel developed indicator expected to anticipate the changes in blood glucose induced by specific foods and how they can affect various physiological functions. Several results have provided indications of the efficiency of low-glycemic index diets in weight management and insulin sensitivity, but also cognitive function, epilepsy treatment, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases. Overall, studies involving the glycemic index can provide new insights into the relationship between energy homeostasis regulation and brain function or related disorders. Therefore, in this review, we will summarize the main evidence on glycemic index involvement in brain mechanisms of energy homeostasis regulation.

Breakfast: A Crucial Meal for Adolescents’ Cognitive Performance According to Their Nutritional Status. The Cogni-Action Project

“…It is well known that a high-quality breakfast is a great source of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, which positively impacts children’s global health and cognition [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. In this way, evidence indicates that breakfast composition may affect behavior, cognition, and learning in children and adolescents [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 ].…”

“…Breakfast has been recognized as an essential meal associated with high intake of proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and raised glucose blood concentration [ 5 , 6 , 7 ]. Moreover, a high-quality breakfast has been related to a lower risk of obesity [ 4 ].…”

Nutritional Impact on Metabolic Homeostasis and Brain Health

“…For instance, the ketogenic diet (KD) is given to epileptic patients since more than 100 years (Williams and Cervenka, 2017). Furthermore, treatment for several other brain conditions now include dietary interventions (Carneiro and Leloup, 2020). Noteworthily, the knowledge of mechanisms disrupted in the disorders studied have led to several hypotheses on the diet induced mechanisms at play in the beneficial effects observed.…”

“…Furthermore, it also indicates that metabolic balance is a key component of healthy aging. It is worth to note that the hypothesized mechanisms involved in the beneficial effect of diets on brain function have also been described in the brain control of energy homeostasis (Carneiro and Leloup, 2020). Therefore, it is likely that disturbed energy balance will contribute to dysfunction of brain control of energy homeostasis.…”

“….) are the most documented (Apekey et al, 2009;Kanoski and Davidson, 2011;Paoli, 2014;Sanders, 2014;Vergati et al, 2017;Abdelhamid et al, 2018;Dohrmann et al, 2019;Włodarek, 2019;Carneiro and Leloup, 2020;van Name et al, 2020). However, little is known about the mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of diets on health.…”