Potential role of folate status on pulmonary function in pediatric asthma

Macronutrient and Micronutrient Intake in Children with Lung Disease

This review article aims to summarize the literature findings regarding the role of micronutrients in children with lung disease. The nutritional and respiratory statuses of critically ill children are interrelated, and malnutrition is commonly associated with respiratory failure. The most recent nutrition support guidelines for critically ill children have recommended an adequate macronutrient intake in the first week of admission due to its association with good outcomes. In children with lung disease, it is important not to exceed the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet to avoid increased carbon dioxide production and increased work of breathing, which potentially could delay the weaning of the ventilator. Indirect calorimetry can guide the process of estimating adequate caloric intake and adjusting the proportion of carbohydrates in the diet based on the results of the respiratory quotient. Micronutrients, including vitamins, trace elements, and others, have been shown to play a role in the structure and function of the immune system, antioxidant properties, and the production of antimicrobial proteins supporting the defense mechanisms against infections. Sufficient levels of micronutrients and adequate supplementation have been associated with better outcomes in children with lung diseases, including pneumonia, cystic fibrosis, asthma, bronchiolitis, and acute respiratory failure.

The Role of Vitamins in the Pathogenesis of Asthma

Vitamins play a crucial role in the proper functioning of organisms. Disturbances of their levels, seen as deficiency or excess, enhance the development of various diseases, including those of the cardiovascular, immune, or respiratory systems. The present paper aims to summarize the role of vitamins in one of the most common diseases of the respiratory system, asthma. This narrative review describes the influence of vitamins on asthma and its main symptoms such as bronchial hyperreactivity, airway inflammation, oxidative stress, and airway remodeling, as well as the correlation between vitamin intake and levels and the risk of asthma in both pre- and postnatal life.

High serum folate level is positively associated with pulmonary function in elderly Korean men, but not in women

A limited number of studies have been conducted on the relationship between serum vitamin levels and pulmonary function, particularly in the elderly population. This study attempted to confirm the association between serum vitamin levels (folate, vitamin A, and vitamin E) and pulmonary function in the elderly population of Korea. A total of 1166 subjects (528 men and 637 women) participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2016 to 2018. Serum levels of folate, vitamin A, and vitamin E were measured in the subjects. The subjects’ pulmonary function measurement items were as follows: forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), forced expiratory flow at 25% and 75% of the pulmonary volume (FEF25–75%), forced expiratory volume in 6 s (FEV6), and peak expiratory velocity (PEV). We performed regression analysis considering FEV1, PEV, FVC, FEF25–75%, and FEV1/FVC and FEV6 as dependent variables. Serum vitamin A levels were not associated with pulmonary function. In elderly men, serum vitamin E levels were negatively correlated with FVC [B =  − 0.012, 95% confidence interval (CI) − 0.022 to − 0.003, p = 0.012] and FEV1 (B =  − 0.010, 95% CI − 0.115 to − 0.007, p = 0.028). We confirmed a positive correlation of the serum folate level with FEV1 (B = 0.017, 95% CI 0.004–0.030, p = 0.009), FEV1/FVC (B = 0.003, 95% CI 0.001–0.005, p = 0.007), and FEF25–75% (B = 0.031, 95% CI 0.010–0.053, p = 0.005) in elderly men. This study confirmed that high serum folate levels were positively associated with pulmonary function in elderly men in Korea. Further studies are needed to understand the longitudinal effect of folate and its biological mechanism in pulmonary function.

The Role of Methyl Donors of the Methionine Cycle in Gastrointestinal Infection and Inflammation

Vitamin deficiency is well known to contribute to disease development in both humans and other animals. Nonetheless, truly understanding the role of vitamins in human biology requires more than identifying their deficiencies. Discerning the mechanisms by which vitamins participate in health is necessary to assess risk factors, diagnostics, and treatment options for deficiency in a clinical setting. For researchers, the absence of a vitamin may be used as a tool to understand the importance of the metabolic pathways in which it participates. This review aims to explore the current understanding of the complex relationship between the methyl donating vitamins folate and cobalamin (B12), the universal methyl donor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), and inflammatory processes in human disease. First, it outlines the process of single-carbon metabolism in the generation of first methionine and subsequently SAM. Following this, established relationships between folate, B12, and SAM in varying bodily tissues are discussed, with special attention given to their effects on gut inflammation.