carotenoid

• Carotenoids


  One of the most widespread groups of naturally occurring pigments, largely responsible for the red, yellow, and orange color of fruits and vegetables, and also found in many dark green vegetables
• Most abundant carotenoids in the North American diet

  • beta-carotene
  • alpha-carotene
  • gamma-carotene
  • lycopene
  • lutein
  • beta-crpytoxanthin
  • zeaxanthin
  • astaxanthin
• Provitamin A carotenoids


  Carotenoids that the body can convert into retinol, an active form of vitamin A
• Commonly consumed provitamin A carotenoids

  • beta-carotene
  • alpha-carotene
  • beta-cryptoxanthin
• Carotenoids


  • Powerful antioxidants, protecting cells from damage caused by free radicals
  • Enhance the function of the immune system
  • Stimulate cell to cell communication, which may play a role in cancer prevention
  • Participate in female reproduction, with the corpus luteum having the highest concentration of beta-carotene of any organ in the body
• A low dietary intake of carotenoids is not known to directly cause any diseases or health conditions, at least in the short term
• If your intake of vitamin A is low


  A dietary deficiency of the provitamin A carotenoids can cause the symptoms associated with vitamin A deficiency
• Long-term inadequate intake of carotenoids

  Associated with chronic disease, including heart disease and various cancers
• Diets low in carotenoids

  Can increase the body's susceptibility to damage from free radicals
• Due to low consumption of fruits and vegetables, many adolescents and young adults do not take in enough carotenoids
• If you smoke cigarettes and/or drink alcohol

  You may have lower than normal blood levels of carotenoids
• Carotenoids are fat-soluble substances, and as such require the presence of dietary fat for proper absorption through the digestive tract
• Medical conditions that cause a reduction in the ability to absorb dietary fat


  May impair carotenoid status
• Cholesterol-lowering medications referred to as bile acid sequestrants


  Lower blood levels of carotenoids
• Margarines enriched with plant sterols


  May decrease the absorption of carotenoids
• Olestra, a fat substitute added to snack foods

  May also decrease the absorption of carotenoids
• Refractory epilepsy (RE) is a condition in which seizures do not respond to first and second-line anticonvulsant drug therapy
• Refractory epilepsy occurs in approximately 20–30% of patients with epilepsy probably due to the multiple pathogenetic mechanisms underlying refractoriness
• Drug-resistant epilepsy is frequent in several disorders such as hereditary metabolic or degenerative disorders, cerebral palsy, severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy, brain injuries/malformations, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
• Though epilepsy itself does not cause neurological deterioration, the evolution of refractory epilepsy does, since patients are submitted to multiple drug treatments which lead to neurological deterioration in children affected by RE
• This is characterized by cognitive decline, motorial problems and behaviour disorders (attention reduction, problems of social relationships and problems of conduct) and leads to disabled children
• Several studies showed that feeding difficulties and malnutrition are common in disabled children: intake may be reduced because of anorexia, chewing and swallowing difficulties, or vomiting
• Most of the commonly used anticonvulsants influence nutritional status. In particular, some drugs affect the regulation of energy balance and appetite with consequent loss (topiramate) or gain (carbamazepina, valproate) of body weight
• Phenytoin, phenobarbitone, and carbamazepine can interfere with vitamin D metabolism and increase the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis
• A Cross-sectional analysis in a large cohort of disabled children showed that their energy and nutrient intake were lower in comparison with recommended values
• Since children with RE gradually become disabled it could be assumed that this state is associated with malnutrition being linked to feeding difficulties, to the wrong choice of foods and to changes in energy requirement due to physical inactivity and drugs
• This inadequate nutritional status would then worsen the children's health, in particular their immunity status
• The aims of our study were to evaluate nutritional status, energy metabolism and food intake in children affected by refractory epilepsy