Aging is an inevitable biological process accompanied by various physiological changes, and researchers have long sought interventions to promote healthy aging. This article explores the effects of four natural compounds—Omega-3 fatty acids, Coenzyme Q10, Gingerol, and Curcumin—on the aging process. We delve into the scientific literature to examine the potential benefits and mechanisms behind these substances in mitigating age-related conditions. Omega-3's anti-inflammatory properties, Coenzyme Q10's cellular energy support, Gingerol’s antioxidant effects, and Curcumin’s anti-aging properties are all discussed. By shedding light on the impact of these compounds, this review aims to contribute to a better understanding of how natural substances may play a role in promoting longevity and enhancing the quality of life during the aging journey.

Coffee is one of the most known and consumed beverages worldwide. Only three species are used in commercial coffee production, i.e., Coffea arabica L. (Arabica coffee), Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner (Robusta coffee), and Coffea liberica Hiern (Excelsa coffee). The world population consumes approximately two billion cups of coffee per day, making it an important commercial resource of bioactive compounds in world markets. High interest in coffee consumption described in the literature is not only due to its organoleptic properties (for example desirable bitterness, amount of flavours, and aromas) but also for its ability to stimulate the central nervous system.

It is now known that there are more than 1000 compounds in coffee beverages, several of which have a bioactive activity. Recent studies show that consuming three to four cups of coffee per day, i.e. moderate consumption according to the European Food Safety Authority, may be beneficial for health.

The main objective of the proposed review is to provide a comprehensive overview of bioactive compounds in coffee and other caffeine-containing beverages and their effects on neurodegenerative proteinopathies.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition. Omega-3 fatty acids insufficiency has been linked to ASD. This umbrella meta-analysis was performed to investigate the effects of omega-3 supplementation on clinical manifestations in participants with ASD. Based on PRISMA statement, databases including Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus were systematically searched for published meta-analyses on the effect of omega-3 supplementation on ASD. To assess the risk of bias, the assessment of multiple systematic reviews (AMSTAR)-2 was utilized. The outcomes were core and non-core symptoms of ASD including social withdrawal/lethargy, cluttering speech, hyperactivity, irritability, and stereotypy. Seven meta-analyses eventually remained in the umbrella review. The results revealed that omega-3 fatty acids supplementation caused a significant reduction in cluttering speech in studies conducted on age ≤8 years (ES= -0.30; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.06; P=0.02). Omega-3 supplementation caused a significant reduction in hyperactivity in participants ≤8 years (ES= -0.30; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.06; P=0.02) and in participants who received the supplements for more than 14 weeks (ES= -0.30; 95% CI: -0.55, -0.06; P=0.02). A dosage of ≤1000 mg/d of omega-3 supplementation led to a significant increase in the stereotypy/ restricted and repetitive interests and behaviors (ES= 0.19; 95% CI: 0.03, 0.35; P=0.02). This umbrella review revealed that omega-3 fatty acid may be a beneficial supplement to control cluttering speech and hyperactivity in children lower or equal to 8 years old with ASD.

Marsupials give birth to immunologically naïve young after a relatively short gestation period compared to eutherians. Consequently, the joey significantly relies on maternal protection, which is the focus of the present review. The milk and the pouch environment are essential contributors to maternal protection for the healthy development of joeys. In this review, we discuss bioactive components found in the marsupial pouch and milk that form cornerstones of maternal protection. These bioactive components include immune cells, immunoglobulins, the s100 family of calcium-binding proteins, lysozymes, whey proteins, antimicrobial peptides and other immune proteins. Furthermore, we investigated the possibility of the presence of plurifunctional components in milk and pouches that are potentially bioactive. These compounds include caseins, vitamins and minerals, oligosaccharides, lipids, and microRNAs. Where applicable, this review addresses variability in bioactive components during different phases of lactation, designed to fulfil the immunological needs of the growing pouch young. Yet there are numerous additional research opportunities to pursue, including uncovering novel bioactive components, investigating their mode of action, dynamics, stability, and ability to penetrate the gut epithelium ensuring systemic actions.

Mediterranean diet (MDi) has demonstrated a powerful preventing effect on various medical conditions, therefore, a positive effect on oral health may also be speculated. Also, tooth loss, pain or tooth mobility may discourage the consumption of specific food types, with affectance to MDi adherence. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between adherence to MDi and oral health in adult populations. The study protocol was registered in Open Science Framework, https://osf.io/vxbnh/, and adhered to PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Principal research questions were: 1) Does better oral health enable adults to better adhere to MDi? and 2) Does better adherence to MDi enable adult individuals to have better oral health? The content of three databases, Clarivate Analytics' Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed was searched without language, date, or any other restrictions. The search results were imported into the Rayyan environment and from the initial 1127 studies identified only 20 remained after exclusion process. Three articles comprised the first group, revealing significant associations between various oral health parameters and adherence to MDi, with large variations in methodology and no safe conclusions. The studies investigating the effect of the level of adherence to MDi on various oral parameters were more numerous and revealed negative associations with the prevalence of periodontal disease and upper aero-digestive tract cancer. Further studies to explore the existence and direction of the association between oral health and MDi are needed, with public health interventions encouraging MDi to reduce the burden of oral conditions and other non-communicable diseases.

Community-based management of acute malnutrition (CMAM) relies on a food-based approach. However, a comprehensive assessment of their nutrient composition and its impact on treatment outcomes is currently lacking in the extant literature. This narrative review summarizes recent evidence on the efficacy of formulations that contain dairy protein and maintain the density of essential nutrients (type I and type II) in managing uncomplicated acute malnutrition at the community level. The literature used for the evidence synthesis was identified using a two-stage screening process. An electronic search was run on PubMed and Cochrane Library, followed by a backward snowball search to identify efficacy studies. A total of 26 efficacy studies involving food formulations used to treat uncomplicated severe and moderate acute malnutrition were identified. The review found that while more evidence favours the inclusion of dairy in formulations as efficacious in supporting recovery from malnutrition, ambiguity in the conclusive findings between dairy and non-dairy formulations remains due to the varied percentages of dairy protein in different formulations. The type of protein source used in a formulation matters, but other approaches, including fortification, can aid in maintaining the nutrient density of formulations, thereby improving the chances of recovery. However, the inclusion of high-added sugar in therapeutic formulations exceeding the WHO norms is a concern that warrants more attention. Future clinical research should assess outcomes like lean or fat mass changes to confirm the benefits of using dairy or non-dairy formulations to treat moderate and severe acute malnutrition.