This review attempts to delineate the underlying mechanisms leading to the development of hypertension as well as the function of vitamins and minerals in the regulation of blood pressure. Physiological processes that regulate cardiac output and systemic vascular resistance impact on the control of blood pressure. Metabolic abnormalities associated with the tetrad of hypertension, dyslipidaemia...

Dengue virus infection is the most widespread mosquito-borne viral infection in humans and has emerged as a serious global health challenge. In the absence of effective treatment and vaccine, host factors including nutritional status, which may alter disease progression, need investigation. The interplay between nutrition and other infections is well-established, and modulation of nutritional s...

Micronutrients are essential for a healthy life. Humans do not produce micronutrients, and hence they must obtain them through the foodchain. Staple crops are the predominant food source of mankind, but need to be complemented by other foodstuffs because they are generally deficient in one or the other micronutrient. Breeding for micronutrient-dense crops is not always a viable option because o...

A literature review of the effects of long-term freezer storage on concentrations of antioxidant micronutrients in serum or plasma showed that a high proportion of the studies that compared the concentrations of retinol, beta-carotene, or alpha-tocopherol in fresh and stored serum were deficient because of small numbers of observations, imprecise descriptions of procedures, and short periods of...

Maintenance of genome stability by preventing DNA damage is crucially important for counteracting carcinogenesis and age-associated diseases. The levels of niacin, vitamin E, vitamin B12, folate, β-carotene, retinol, magnesium, calcium, selenium and zinc, which are key micronutrients considered to be important in the prevention of genome damage, were measured in a range of fresh and processed f...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. MetS prevalence has been associated with diet inadequacy. Conversely, the cumulative incidence of MetS has been inversely associated with a Mediterranean-style diet that includes many different health-beneficial nutrients. Adherence to a Mediterranean-s...

Micronutrients play an important role in the development of effective immune responses. This study characterised a populations exposed to schistosome infections in terms of the relationship between micronutrients and immune responses. Levels of retinol binding protein (RBP; vitamin A marker), vitamin D, ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), and C reactive protein (CRP) were related ...

A Round Table Discussion was held at the Fourth International Conference on Anticarcinogenesis and Radiation Protection. Scientists from government and academia were brought together to discuss the evidence for the preventive effect of foods, specific nutrients and drugs against cancer, and the most appropriate methods of initiating nutritional cancer prevention activities to improve the health...

Micronutrient malnutrition affects more than half of the world population, particularly in developing countries. Concerted international and national fortification and supplementation efforts to curb the scourge of micronutrient malnutrition are showing a positive impact, alas without reaching the goals set by international organizations. Biofortification, the delivery of micronutrients via mic...