0 Glyconutrients

Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan (UPF), a sulphated polysaccharide derived from brown seaweed, has attracted increasing scientific interest for its wide-ranging anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Previous studies have demonstrated that UPF exerts significant anti-inflammatory effects through the downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, inhibition of key signalling pathways such as NF-κB and MAPKs, suppression of oxidative stress, and modulation of immune mediators and gut microbiota. In parallel, emerging evidence highlights UPF's neuroprotective potential, characterised by reduced neuroinflammation, oxidative damage, and amyloid-beta accumulation, alongside enhanced antioxidant defence and neuronal function. Current investigations reinforce these findings, suggesting that UPF may serve as a valuable adjunct in managing inflammation-related disorders and neurodegenerative conditions. This review summarises the current knowledge on UPF’s mechanisms of action, with a particular focus on its anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective pathways and implications for brain health, while also identifying gaps for future research and clinical translation.

Undaria pinnatifida fucoidan (UPF), a bioactive sulphated polysaccharide, is widely recognised for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, anticoagulant, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties. However, the precise mechanisms by which UPF ...

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide, demonstrates many biological activities. It has found extensive applications across medicine, food, cosmetics, an…

Aloe vera (Av) is revered in Ayurveda as the "wand of heaven" or "heaven's blessing" and precisely the "silent healer". This herbaceous plant belongs …

Allulose, a rare sugar, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its numerous health benefits, primarily concerning metabolic health. To be sure, it seems like it is everywhere …

Allulose, a rare sugar, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its numerous health benefits, primarily concerning metabolic health. To be sure, it seems like it is everywhere …

And Why Matcha Might Be the Far Smarter & Healthier Fix

Allulose, a rare sugar, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its numerous health benefits, primarily concerning metabolic health. To be sure, it seems like it is everywhere …

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, with increasing incidence and prevalence.Currently, no effective tre…

Aloe vera (L.) Burm.f., (AE) herb has been shown to have osteogenic, anti‐diabetic, and prebiotic activities in animal and human studies. Postmenopausal women generally exhibit massive bone loss, impaired intestinal calcium absorption, ...

Low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF), a depolymerized form, is known to possess superior bioactivities compared to its high molecular weight counterpa…

This study investigates the anti-lung cancer activities of polysaccharides extracted from Laminaria japonica, focusing on their bioactive components a…

Ulcerative colitis (UC), a chronic inflammatory bowel disease driven by gut dysbiosis, immune dysregulation, and oxidative stress, lacks universally effectiv...

Fucoidans have demonstrated a wide range of bioactivities including immune modulation and benefits in gut health. To gain a deeper understanding on the effects of fucoidan from Undaria pinnatifida (UPF) on the colonic microbiome, the short-term Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem®, a validated in vitro gut model, was applied. Following a three-week intervention period on adult faecal samples from three healthy donors, microbial community activity of the colonic microbiota was assessed by quantifying short-chain fatty acids while composition was analysed utilising 16S-targeted Illumina sequencing. Metagenomic data were used to describe changes in community structure. To assess the secretion of cytokines, co-culture experiments using Caco-2 and THP1-Blue™ cells were performed. UPF supplementation over a three-week period had a profound butyrogenic effect while also enriching colonic microbial diversity, consistently stimulating saccharolytic genera, and reducing genera linked with potentially negative health effects in both regions of the colon. Mild immune modulatory effects of UPF were also observed. Colonic fermentation of UPF showed anti-inflammatory properties by inducing the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 in two out of three donors in the proximal and distal colon. In conclusion, UPF supplementation may provide significant gut health benefits.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses significant health challenges worldwide, with limited effective natural therapies targeting its progression through antioxidant mechanisms. Although gum acacia (GA) has shown general metabolic benefits, its dose-dependent therapeutic efficacy in CKD and its effects on key antioxidant pathways remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of gum acacia (GA) in an adenine (AD)-induced CKD rat model. Methods Rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 7 per group): Group I (control), Group II (GA at 600 mg/kg for 14 days), Group III (AD at 600 mg/kg for 10 days), and Groups IV and V (AD for 10 days followed by GA at 300 mg/kg or 600 mg/kg for 14 days). All treatments were administered daily by oral gavage. Results AD treatment led to significant reductions in body weight, increased relative kidney weight, and disrupted kidney and liver function markers, including elevated urea, creatinine, ALT, GGT, and glucose levels. AD also increased oxidative stress, altered blood parameters, and caused downregulation of APRT mRNA expression and upregulation of FGF-23 expression. GA treatment at both doses (300 and 600 mg/kg) mitigated these abnormalities, significantly improving kidney and liver function, enhancing antioxidant status, and ameliorating hematological and metabolic disturbances. The most pronounced effects were observed with the 600 mg/kg dose. Conclusions Building on prior indications of GA’s benefits, our findings offer new and comprehensive evidence of its dose-dependent therapeutic effects in adenine-induced CKD, particularly through the modulation of oxidative stress pathways and regulation of APRT and FGF-23 expression. These insights lay the groundwork for future clinical translation.

Allulose, a rare sugar, has gained significant attention in recent years due to its numerous health benefits, primarily concerning metabolic health. To be sure, it seems like it is everywhere …

This video reviews the connection of the glycocalyx and vascular health.Information about GlycoCheck at https://glycocheckpro.com/.Information about Endocaly...

Disruption of mucin-domain glycoprotein expression and function in the endothelial glycocalyx are associated with ageing and Alzheimer’s disease, leading to dysregulated blood–brain barrier function.

One of the most essential elements for your good health lies in the endothelial glycocalyx, a vast protective gel lining of all of our capillaries that touch...

Purpose We aim to evaluate the association between the use of glucosamine, a widely used dietary supplement, and the risk of IBD-related surgery in a prospective cohort study. Methods We leveraged data from 6059 individuals with IBD from the UK Biobank. Habitual use, frequency of use, and the dose of glucosamine were evaluated using self-reported records, multiple rounds of dietary recall, and prescription information from primary care data, respectively. IBD-related surgery was identified through inpatient data. Cox proportional-hazard model and logistic regression model were applied to examine the associations. Results During a mean follow-up of 12.2 years, we documented 684 incident IBD-related surgery events. Compared with non-users, habitual glucosamine users presented (66.6 vs 97.1 cases/10,000 person-years, HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.58–0.92, P = 0.009) lowered risk of IBD-related surgery, decreased risk in Crohn’s disease (80.6 vs 131.0 cases/10,000 person-years, HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.41–0.89, P = 0.011), while it was not significant in ulcerative colitis (61.1 vs 79.5 cases/10,000 person-years, HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.65–1.18, P = 0.386). The risks of IBD-related surgery were also lower among occasional users (HR 0.34, 95% CI 0.15–0.77, P = 0.010) and constant users (HR 0.48, 95% CI 0.25–0.90, P = 0.022) than non-users. For those using prescribed glucosamine, a higher prescription dose was associated with a lower risk of related surgery (OR 0.15, 95% CI 0.02–0.86, P = 0.034). Conclusion Use of glucosamine, as a safe dietary supplement, is associated with a lower risk of IBD-related surgery, which would be a promising strategy in IBD management.

Fructose and Metabolic SyndromeCell Metabolism: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32502381/ Fructose, intracellular pathwayJ. Biol Chem: https://pubmed.ncbi.nl...

We have clearly entered a new era when mainstream science has come to embrace the notion that nutrition exerts significant influence over various physiological functions, including immune regulation, and may …

Allulose is on the top of my sweetener preference list for both objective and subjective reasons.