Roczniki Państwowego Zakładu Higieny
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Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig · Jan 2013
ReviewThe role of dietary fats for preventing cardiovascular disease. A review.
At the present, there is a pandemic of chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) affecting most countries of the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified the main contributing determinants to be cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, malignant cancer and chronic disease of the respiratory system. Unhealthy nutrition, as well as other adverse lifestyle health behaviour are recognised to be part of the prime factors responsible. ⋯ It is however noteworthy that adopting a Mediterranean diet reduces IHD mortality. This is explained by a low consumption of SFAs but high intake of unsaturated fatty acids including n-3 PUFAs, and is linked to choosing the right vegetable fats. Oils that contain alpha-linoleic acid (ALA) are to be preferred in the diets of northern countries.
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Magnesium (Mg2+) plays a key role in many essential cellular processes such as intermediary metabolism, DNA replication and repair, transporting potassium and calcium ions, cell proliferation together with signalling transduction. Dietary sources rich in magnesium are whole and unrefined grains, seeds, cocoa, nuts, almonds and green leafy vegetables. Hard water is also considered to be an important source of magnesium beneficial to human health. ⋯ Any magnesium deficiencies could thereby cause a dysfunction of these systems to occur leading to DNA mutations. Magnesium deficiency may also be associated with inflammation and increased levels of free radicals where both inflammatory mediators and free radicals so arising could cause oxidative DNA damage and therefore tumour formation. The presented review article now provides a summary discussion of the various research performed concerning the impact that low magnesium intake has on tumour incidence; this includes impairment of magnesium homeostasis frequently observed in tumour cells, the influence of magnesium depletion on the progression of existing tumours and the occurrence of hypo-magnesaemia when patients are treated with certain anticancer drugs.