Microbial community of healthy Thai vegetarians and non-vegetarians, their core gut microbiota and pathogens risk.

Ruengsomwong S1,2,3, La-Ongkham O1, Jiang J4, Wannissorn B3, Nakayama J4, Nitisinprasert S1,2.

Abstract

Pyrosequencing analysis of intestinal microflora from healthy Thai vegetarians and non-vegetarians exhibited 893 OTUs covering 189 species. The strong species indicator of vegetarians and non-vegetarians were Prevotella copri and Bacteroides vulgatus as well as bacterium closed toEscherichia hermanii with % relative abundance of 16.9 and 4.5-4.7, respectively. Core gut microbiota of vegetarian and non-vegetarian group consisted of 11 and 20 different bacterial species, respectively, belonging to Actinobacteria, Firmicutes and Proteobacteria commonly found in both groups. Two species of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Gemmiger formicilis had prevalence of 100% in both groups. Three species ofClostridium nexile, Eubacterium eligens and P. copri showed up in most vegetarians while more diversity of Collinsella aerofaciens,Ruminococcus torques, various species of Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Escherichia, different species of Clostridium and Eubacterium were found in most non-vegetarians. Considering the correlation of personal characters, consumption behavior and microbial groups, the age of non-vegetarians showed strong positive correlation coefficient of 0.54 (p=0.001) to Bacteroides uniformis while exhibited a moderate ones to Alistipes finegoldii and B. vulgatus. Only positive moderate correlation of body mass index (BMI) and Parabacteroides distasonis appeared. Based on significant abundance of potential pathogens, the microbiota of non-vegetarian group showed the abundance of potential pathogen varieties ofBilophila wadsworthia, Escherichia coli and E. hermannii while the one of vegetarian served for only Klebsiella pneumonia. These results implied that the microbiota of vegetarian with high abundance of P. copri and low potential pathogen variety would be a way to maintain healthy in Thai.

KEYWORDS:

Enterobacteriaceae; Prevotella; core gut microbiota; fecal microbiota; pathogen risk; pyrosequencing

PMID:

27381339

DOI:

10.4014/jmb.1603.03057

2016 Jul 6. doi: 10.4014/jmb.1603.03057

Reduced levels of potential circulating biomarkers of cardiovascular diseases in apparently healthy vegetarianmen.

Navarro JA1, de Gouveia LA1, Rocha-Penha L2, Cinegaglia N2, Belo V3, Castro MM3, Sandrim VC4.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Several evidences report that a vegetarian diet is protector against cardiovascular diseases. Few studies have demonstrated the circulating profile of cardiovascular biomarkers in vegetarians. Therefore, the aims of the current study were compared the plasma concentrations of myeloperoxidase (MPO), metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, MMP-2, tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 between healthy vegetarian (Veg) and healthy omnivorous (Omn).

METHODS:

Using ELISA and multiplexed bead immunoassay, we measured in plasma from 43 Veg and 41 Omn the cardiovascular biomarkers concentrations cited above.

RESULTS:

We found significant lower concentrations of MPO, MMP-9, MMP-2 and MMP-9/TIMP-1 ratio in Veg compared to Omn (all P<0.05). Moreover, MMP-9 concentrations were correlated positively with leukocytes and neutrophils count in both groups (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSION:

A vegetarian diet is associated with a healthier profile of cardiovascular biomarkers compared to omnivorous.

KEYWORDS:

Cardiovascular biomarkers; MMP-2; MMP-9; MPO; Omnivorous; TIMP; Vegetarians

PMID:

27496081

DOI:

10.1016/j.cca.2016.08.002

2016 Oct 1;461:110-3. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2016.08.002. Epub 2016 Aug 2

Vegan-vegetarian low-protein supplemented diets in pregnant CKD patients: fifteen years of experience.

Attini R, Leone F, Parisi S, Fassio F, Capizzi I1, Loi V2, Colla L3, Rossetti M3, Gerbino M, Maxia S2, Alemanno MG, Minelli F, Piccoli E, Versino E4,5, Biolcati M, Avagnina P6,7, Pani A2, Cabiddu G2, Todros T, Piccoli GB8,9

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Pregnancy in women with advanced CKD becoming increasingly common. However, experience with low-protein diets in CKD patients in pregnancy is still limited. Aim of this study is to review the results obtained over the last 15 years with moderately restricted low-protein diets in pregnant CKD women (combining: CKD stages 3-5, proteinuria: nephrotic at any time, or > =1 g/24 at start or referral; nephrotic in previous pregnancy). CKD patients on unrestricted diets were employed for comparison.

METHODS:

STUDY PERIOD:

January, 2000 to September, 2015: 36 on-diet pregnancies (31 singleton deliveries, 3 twin deliveries, 1 pregnancy termination, 1 miscarriage); 47 controls (42 singleton deliveries, 5 miscarriages). The diet is basically vegan; since occasional milk and yoghurt are allowed, we defined it vegan-vegetarian; protein intake (0.6-0.8 g/Kg/day), keto-acid supplementation, protein-unrestricted meals (1-3/week) are prescribed according to CKD stage and nutritional status. Statistical analysis was performed as implemented on SPSS.

RESULTS:

Patients and controls were similar (p: ns) at baseline with regard to age (33 vs 33.5), referral week (7 vs 9), kidney function (CKD 3-5: 48.4 % vs 64.3 %); prevalence of hypertension (51.6 % vs 40.5 %) and proteinuria >3 g/24 h (16.1 % vs 12.2 %). There were more diabetic nephropathies in on-diet patients (on diet: 31.0 % vs controls 5.3 %; p 0.007 (Fisher)) while lupus nephropathies were non-significantly higher in controls (on diet: 10.3 % vs controls 23.7 %; p 0.28 (Fisher)). The incidence of preterm delivery was similar (<37 weeks: on-diet singletons 77.4 %; controls: 71.4 %). The incidence of other adverse pregnancy related outcomes was non-significantly lower in on-diet patients (early preterm delivery: on diet: 32.3 % vs controls 35.7 %; birth-weight = <1.500 g: on diet: 9.7 % vs controls 23.8 %). None of the singletons in the on-diet series died, while two perinatal deaths occurred among the controls (p = 0.505). The incidence of small for gestational age (SGA <10th centile) and/or extremely preterm babies (<28th week) was significantly lower in singletons from on-diet mothers than in controls (on diet: 12.9 % vs controls: 33.3 %; p: 0.04 (Fisher)).

CONCLUSION:

Moderate protein restriction in the context of a vegan-vegetarian supplemented diet is confirmed as a safe option in the management of pregnant CKD patients.

KEYWORDS:

CKD; Low-protein diets; Maternal-foetal outcomes; Pregnancy; Preterm delivery; Small for gestational age baby; Supplemented diets

PMID:: 27649693
PMCID:: PMC5029029
DOI:: 10.1186/s12882-016-0339-y

2016 Sep 20;17(1):132. doi: 10.1186/s12882-016-0339-y.

Vegetarian diet reduces the risk of hypertension independent of abdominal obesity and inflammation: a prospective study.

Chuang SY1, Chiu TH, Lee CY, Liu TT, Tsao CK, Hsiung CA, Chiu YF

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

A vegetarian diet may prevent elevation of blood pressures and lower the risk for hypertension through lower degrees of obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance. This study investigated the association between a vegetarian diet and hypertension incidence in a cohort of Taiwanese adult nonsmokers and examined whether this association was mediated through inflammation, abdominal obesity, or insulin resistance (using fasting glucose as a proxy).

METHODS:

This matched cohort study was from the 1994-2008 MJ Health Screening Database. Each vegetarian was matched with five nonvegetarians by age, sex, and study site. The analysis included 4109 nonsmokers (3423 nonvegetarians and 686 vegetarians), followed for a median of 1.61 years. The outcome includes hypertension incidence, as well as SBP and DBP levels. Regression analysis was performed to assess the association between vegetarian diet and hypertension incidence or future blood pressure levels in the presence/absence of potential mediators.

RESULTS:

Vegetarians had a 34% lower risk for hypertension, adjusting for age and sex (odds ratio: 0.66, 95% confidence interval: 0.50-0.87; SBP: -3.3 mmHg, P < 0.001; DBP: -1.5 mmHg, P < 0.001). The results stay statistically significant after further adjustment for C-reactive protein, waist circumference, and fasting glucose (odds ratio: 0.72, 95% confidence interval: 0.55-0.86; SBP: -2.4 mmHg, P < 0.05; DBP: -1.1 mmHg, P < 0.05). The protective association between vegetarian diet and hypertension appeared to be consistent across age groups.

CONCLUSION:

Taiwanese vegetarians had lower incidence of hypertension than nonvegetarians. Vegetarian diets may protect against hypertension beyond lower abdominal obesity, inflammation, and insulin resistance.

PMID:: 27512965
DOI:: 10.1097/HJH.0000000000001068

2016 Aug 10.

Microbial community of healthy Thai vegetarians and non-vegetarians, their core gut microbiota and pathogens risk.

Ruengsomwong S, La-Ongkham O, Jiang J, Wannissorn B, Nakayama J, Nitisinprasert S

Abstract

2016 Jul 6. doi: 10.4014/jmb.1603.03057.

PMID:: 27381339
DOI:: 10.4014/jmb.1603.03057

Se ha publicado una nueva revisión, actualizada, en este año, 2016, en la cual se hace una síntesis de los resultados de las investigaciones, que confirma los claros beneficios de la nutrición o dieta vegetariana

El review está publicada en este link http://www.karger.com/Article/FullText/444902#ref28

Su autor, el Dr. Gary E. Fraser, confirma, en una manera clara, los evidentes beneficios de una dieta vegetariana en comparación con una dieta omnívora.

Es interesante la observación que el Dr. Fraser hace, que no obstante, la relativa poca cantidad de estudios prospectivos vegetarianos o los ensayos aleatorios con puntos finales clínicos, con poblaciones grandes, los beneficios en la salud, como resultado de la adopción de una dieta vegetariana siguen siendo significativamente demostrables.

Ha observado lo siguiente:

1. Existe evidencia estadística, de los efectos protectores de las dietas vegetarianas respecto de la colesterolemia (niveles de colesterol en sangre), así como la presión arterial, la glucemia (medida een según clásicos protocolos, es decir, en ayunas), el sobrepeso y la obesidad, y un tema muy importante, que está asociado a diabetes, que son niveles de insulina en la sangre, y el factor insulínico de crecimiento - 1, que está asociado a ciertos cánceres, y otras enfermedades crónicas, así como marcadores más inespecíficos como la proteína C reactiva, y determinados aminoácidos en sangre. Los vegetarianos claramente, tienen significativamentemenor incidencia y mejor pronóstico, respecto a Diabetes, así como que también tienen menor incidencia de ciertos cánceres, aunque no tan significativa son las diferencias (se requieren más investigaciones con más determinación de las variables a medir y controlar)

2. Respecto al perfil de flora intestinal, se observa que los vegetarianos es diferente en comparacón con los que consumen carnes, y observándose con criterio clínico, dicho perfil microbiano está asociado con mejores beneficios para la diabetes, las enfermedades cardiovasculares y algunos tipos de cáncer.

3. Es altamente significativa, y constante, en las investigaciones, la menor incidencia de, y menor mortalidad por, enfermedades cardiovasculares de quienes adoptan una dieta vegetariana, respecto a quienes consumen carnes.

4. Una menor mortalidad por todas las causas, entre vegetarianos respecto a omnívoros, son los resultados de los estudios de los adventistas norteamericanos, aunque esos resultados no han sido tan significativos en los vegetarianos británicos.

6. Son varias las investigaciones están permitiendo concluir que el consumo de carnes está asociado a mayor riesgo de diabetes, enfermedades cardiovasculares y ciertos cánceres.

Vegetarian, vegan diets and multiple health outcomes: a systematic review with meta-analysis of observational studies

DOI:10.1080/10408398.2016.1138447

Monica Dinu, Rosanna Abbate, Gian Franco Gensini, Alessandro Casini & Francesco Sofi.

Background: Beneficial effects of vegetarian and vegan diets on health outcomes have been supposed in previous studies.

Objectives: Aim of this study was to clarify the association between vegetarian, vegan diets, risk factors for chronic diseases, risk of all-cause mortality, incidence and mortality from cardio-cerebrovascular diseases, total cancer and specific type of cancer (colorectal, breast, prostate and lung), through meta-analysis.

Methods: A comprehensive search of Medline, EMBASE, Scopus, The Cochrane Library and Google Scholar was conducted.

Results: Eighty-six cross-sectional and 10 cohort prospective studies were included. The overall analysis among cross-sectional studies reported significant reduced levels of body mass index, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and glucose levels in vegetarians and vegans versus omnivores. With regard to prospective cohort studies, the analysis showed a significant reduced risk of incidence and/or mortality from ischemic heart disease (RR 0.75; 95% CI, 0.68 to 0.82) and incidence of total cancer (RR 0.92; 95% CI 0.87 to 0.98) but not of total cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, all-cause mortality and mortality from cancer. No significant association was evidenced when specific types of cancer were analyzed. The analysis conducted among vegans reported significant association with the risk of incidence from total cancer (RR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75 to 0.95), despite obtained only in a limited number of studies.

Conclusions: This comprehensive meta-analysis reports a significant protective effect of a vegetarian diet versus the incidence and/or mortality from ischemic heart disease (−25%) and incidence from total cancer (−8%). Vegan diet conferred a significant reduced risk (−15%) of incidence from total cancer.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10408398.2016.1138447

Vegetarian Diets and the Incidence of Cancer in a Low-risk Population

Yessenia Tantamango-Bartley, Karen Jaceldo-Siegl , Jing Fan, and Gary Fraser

Abstract

Background: Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. Dietary factors account for at least 30% of all cancers in Western countries. As people do not consume individual foods but rather combinations of them, the assessment of dietary patterns may offer valuable information when determining associations between diet and cancer risk.

Methods: We examined the association between dietary patterns (non-vegetarians, lacto, pesco, vegan, and semi-vegetarian) and the overall cancer incidence among 69,120 participants of the Adventist Health Study-2. Cancer cases were identified by matching to cancer registries. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to estimate hazard ratios, with “attained age” as the time variable.

Results: A total of 2,939 incident cancer cases were identified. The multivariate HR of overall cancer risk among vegetarians compared with non-vegetarians was statistically significant [HR, 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.85–0.99] for both genders combined. Also, a statistically significant association was found between vegetarian diet and cancers of the gastrointestinal tract (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.63–0.90). When analyzing the association of specific vegetarian dietary patterns, vegan diets showed statistically significant protection for overall cancer incidence (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.72–0.99) in both genders combined and for female-specific cancers (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.47–0.92). Lacto-ovo-vegetarians appeared to be associated with decreased risk of cancers of the gastrointestinal system (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.60–0.92).

Conclusion: Vegetarian diets seem to confer protection against cancer.

Impact: Vegan diet seems to confer lower risk for overall and female-specific cancer than other dietary patterns. The lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets seem to confer protection from cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

This article is featured in Highlights of This Issue, p. 179

Nutr Neurosci. 2014 Nov 21.

Vegans report less stress and anxiety than omnivores.

Beezhold B, Radnitz C, Rinne A, DiMatteo J.

Abstract

Objective Studies investigating mood in vegetarian diets have yielded conflicting results, either demonstrating risk for mental disorders or mood protection. Our objective was to investigate mood, as well as factors that potentially impact mood in vegans (VG), vegetarians (VEG), and omnivores (OMN). Methods We surveyed mood, diet, and lifestyle factors in a broad geographic online sample of adult VG (n = 283), VEG (n = 109), and OMN (n = 228) who were recruited via diet-related social networks. Mood was measured with the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21).

Results The sample was mostly female (78.5%), and age was inversely correlated with all DASS scores (P < 0.05). Mean DASS-A (anxiety) and DASS-S (stress) scores differed by group (F(2616) = 4.73, P = 0.009, η2 = 0.015, and F(2, 615) = 8.23, P < 0.001, η2 = 0.026, respectively), with VG scores lower than OMN scores, indicating less mood disturbance.
Analyses of covariance were conducted by gender, adjusting for age. Anxiety scores were different in males only (F(2128) = 5.39, P = 0.006, ηp2 = 0.078) and lower anxiety in males was related to a vegan diet and daily fruit and vegetable intake. Mean stress scores were different in females only (F(2476) = 3.82, P = 0.023, ηp2 = 0.016) and lower stress in females was related to a vegan diet and lower daily intake of sweets.

Discussion: A strict plant-based diet does not appear to negatively impact mood, in fact reduction of animal food intake may have mood benefits. The improved mood domains were not consistent with those found in other studies, which may be due to methodological differences.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25415255

Restriction of meat, fish, and poultry in omnivores improves mood: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Bonnie L Beezhold and Carol S Johnston

Nutr J. 2012; PMCID: PMC3293760

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3293760/

Omnivorous diets are high in arachidonic acid (AA) compared to vegetarian diets. Research shows that high intakes of AA promote changes in brain that can disturb mood. Omnivores who eat fish regularly increase their intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), fats that oppose the negative effects of AA in vivo. In a recent cross-sectional study, omnivores reported significantly worse mood than vegetarians despite higher intakes of EPA and DHA. This study investigated the impact of restricting meat, fish, and poultry on mood.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that reducing meat, fish, and poultry may improve some domains of short-term mood state in modern omnivores. Exploring this phenomenon further is warranted, as reductions in dietary meat, fish, and poultry would not only reduce health risks but could benefit the environment as well.