Brazilian nut consumption improves selenium status and glutathione peroxidase activity and reduces atherogenic risk in obese women

• Published in: Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 32; no. 6; pp. 403 - 407
• Main Authors: Cominetti, Cristiane, de Bortoli, Maritsa C, Garrido, Arthur B, Cozzolino, Silvia M.F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.06.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Atherosclerosis - complications; Atherosclerosis - prevention & control; Bertholletia - chemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Brazilian nut; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Energy Intake; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Glutathione Peroxidase - blood; Human; Humans; Lipidemia; Nutrition Assessment; Nuts; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - physiopathology; Risk Factors; Selenium; Selenium - blood; Selenium - deficiency; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Young Adult; Human; Obesity; triacylglycerol; LDL-c; body mass index; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; total cholesterol; Lipidemia; GPx; hemoglobin; Cholesterol; TC; very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; HDL-c; Se; selenium; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; Brazilian nut; Hb; TAG; VLDL-c; BMI; glutathione peroxidase; Selenium; Glutathione peroxidase; Nuts; Enzyme; Nutrition disorder; Lipids; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Peroxidases; Food intake; Risk factor; Female; Oxidoreductases; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0271-5317; 1879-0739
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nutres.2012.05.005

Abstract Studies have shown that there are inverse relationships between nut consumption and the reduction of cardiovascular risk. This study tested the hypothesis that daily consumption of Brazilian nuts would have a positive effect upon selenium (Se) status, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity, lipid profile, and atherogenic risk in severely obese women. Thirty-seven severely obese women each consumed 1 Brazilian nut a day (290 μ g of Se a day) for 8 weeks. Blood Se concentrations, total erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity, lipid profile, and Castelli I and II indexes were evaluated before and after the nuts consumption. All the patients were Se deficient at baseline; this deficiency was remedied by the consumption of the Brazilian nut ( P < .0001). The intake of Brazilian nuts promoted a significant increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations ( P < .00001), which then resulted in a significant improvement of the Castelli I ( P < .0002) and II ( P < .0004) indexes. This study shows that obese people who implement daily consumption of Brazilian nuts can improve both Se status and lipid profile, especially high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, thereby reducing cardiovascular risks.