Nutrients

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Shuang-Qing Zhang

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Guest Editor

National Institute for Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 29 Nanwei Rd, Beijing 100050, China
Interests: nutrient metabolism and regulation; trace element nutrition; pharmacokinetics; targeted delivery systems; bioanalysis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Selenium, which is an important microelement for human health, plays a critical role in a wide variety of homeostatic processes through selenoproteins, such as the endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis, immune response, regulation of transcription factors and apoptosis, control of the cellular redox state, and development of the central nervous system. Unfortunately, due to the narrow safe dose range of selenium intake, selenium deficiency and selenium excess can both yield adverse effects for human health. Low selenium status has been implicated in an increased risk of mortality, poor immune function, as well as some diseases such as Keshan disease, cretinism, and cognitive decline. Selenium excess leads to some side effects, e.g., hair loss, dermatitis, an elevated disease risk such as type-2 diabetes, and the occurrence of some neurological signs such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, hyperreflexia, convulsions, and motor weakness, etc. Considering the roles of Se in human health, selenium has gradually become a focal point of scientific research. Including but not limited to selenium, the Special Issue highlights effects of micronutrient intake on human health, welcoming original research articles and reviews regarding this topic.

Dr. Shuang-Qing Zhang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

selenium
micronutrient
intake level
human Health
safety
evidence based
chronic diseases

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 883 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploring the Preventive Potential of Vitamin D against Respiratory Infections in Preschool-Age Children: A Cross-Sectional Study

by Oana Silvana Sarau, Hari Charan Rachabattuni, Sai Teja Gadde, Sai Praveen Daruvuri, Larisa Mihaela Marusca, Florin George Horhat, Ariadna Petronela Fildan, Elena Tanase, Catalin Prodan-Barbulescu and Delia Ioana Horhat

Nutrients 2024, 16(11), 1595; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16111595 - 23 May 2024

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Abstract

Recent studies hypothesized that vitamin D supplementation and subsequent higher 25(OH)D serum levels could protect against respiratory infections in children. This cross-sectional study, conducted from May 2022 to December 2023 in Timisoara, Romania, aimed to evaluate the potential influence of vitamin D supplementation on the incidence of respiratory infections among preschool-age children. This study examined 215 children over 18 months who were split into a group of patients with recurrent respiratory infections (n = 141) and another group of patients with only one respiratory tract infection in the past 12 months (n = 74). Patients were evaluated based on their serum vitamin D levels 25(OH)D, demographic characteristics, and health outcomes. The study identified that preschool-age children with recurrent infections had significantly lower mean vitamin D concentrations (24.5 ng/mL) compared to the control group (29.7 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Additionally, a higher proportion of vitamin D deficiency was observed among children with recurrent infections in the past 12 months. Notably, vitamin D supplementation above 600 IU/week significantly reduced the likelihood of respiratory infections, evidenced by an odds ratio of 0.523 (p < 0.001), indicating that preschool-age children receiving a dose of vitamin D higher than 600 IU/week were about half as likely to experience respiratory infections compared to those who did not. Furthermore, no significant associations were found between sun exposure, daily sunscreen use, and the incidence of respiratory infections. Conclusively, this study underscores the potential role of vitamin D in helping the immune system against respiratory infections in preschool-age children. The observed protective effect of vitamin D supplementation suggests a potential public health strategy to mitigate the incidence of respiratory infections in preschool children on top of the already known benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Selenium and Other Micronutrient Intake on Human Health)

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13 pages, 571 KiB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Does Magnesium Provide a Protective Effect in Crohn’s Disease Remission? A Systematic Review of the Literature

by Sergiu Costescu, Felix Bratosin, Zoran Laurentiu Popa, Ingrid Hrubaru and Cosmin Citu

Nutrients 2024, 16(11), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16111662 - 28 May 2024

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Abstract

This systematic review evaluates the hypothesis that optimal serum magnesium levels may enhance remission rates in Crohn’s disease (CD) and considers whether magnesium supplementation could be beneficial in CD management. This review aims to synthesize available evidence concerning the impact of serum magnesium on disease remission in CD, and to analyze the effectiveness and mechanistic roles of magnesium supplementation. Adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, we searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus up to January 2024 using MeSH terms and free-text queries related to CD and magnesium. The inclusion criteria were studies that investigated serum magnesium levels, effects of supplementation, and the inflammatory mechanisms in CD remission. From the 525 records identified, eight studies met the inclusion criteria after the removal of duplicates and irrelevant records. These studies, conducted between 1998 and 2023, involved a cumulative sample of 453 patients and 292 controls. Key findings include significantly lower serum magnesium levels in CD patients (0.79 ± 0.09 mmol/L) compared to controls (0.82 ± 0.06 mmol/L), with up to 50% prevalence of hypomagnesemia in CD patients observed in one study. Notably, CD patients, particularly men, exhibited lower magnesium intake (men: 276.4 mg/day; women: 198.2 mg/day). Additionally, low magnesium levels correlated with increased sleep latency (95% CI −0.65 to −0.102; p = 0.011) and decreased sleep duration (95% CI −0.613 to −0.041; p = 0.028). Another key finding was the significant association between low serum magnesium levels and elevated CRP levels as an indicator of CD disease activity. The findings support the hypothesis that serum magnesium levels are significantly lower in CD patients compared to healthy controls and suggest that magnesium supplementation could improve CD management by enhancing remission rates and sleep quality. However, more rigorous, evidence-based research is necessary to define specific supplementation protocols and to fully elucidate the role of magnesium in CD pathophysiology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Selenium and Other Micronutrient Intake on Human Health)

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