Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory vascular disease. Dysregulated lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation are the major mechanisms implicated in the development of AS. In addition, evidence suggests that gut dysbiosis plays an important role in atherogenesis, and modulation of the gut microbiota with probiotics and phenolic compounds has emerged as a promising strategy for preventing and treating AS. It has been shown that probiotics and phenolic compounds can improve atherosclerosis-related parameters by improving lipid profile, oxidative stress, and inflammation. In addition, these compounds may modulate the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota and improve atherosclerosis. The studies evaluated in the present review showed that probiotics and phenolic compounds, when consumed individually, improved atherosclerosis by modulating the gut microbiota in various ways, such as decreasing gut permeability, decreasing TMAO and LPS levels, altering alpha and beta diversity, and increasing fecal bile acid loss. However, no study was found that evaluated the combined use of probiotics and phenolic compounds to improve atherosclerosis. The available literature highlights the synergistic potential between phenolic compounds and probiotics to improve their health-promoting properties and functionalities. This review aims to summarize the available evidence on the individual effects of probiotics and phenolic compounds on AS, while providing insights into the potential benefits of nutraceutical approaches using probiotic strains, quercetin, and resveratrol as potential adjuvant therapies for AS treatment through modulation of the gut microbiota.

Multi-strain Limosilactobacillus (L.) fermentum is a potential probiotic with reported immunomodulatory properties. This study aimed to evaluate the composition, richness, and diversity of the gut microbiota in male and female rats after treatment with a multi-strain of L. fermentum at different doses. Thirty rats (fifteen male and fifteen female) were allocated into a control group (CTL), a group receiving L. fermentum at a dose of 10⁸ CFU (Lf-10⁸), and a group receiving L. fermentum at a dose of 10¹⁰ CFU (Lf-10¹⁰) for 13 weeks. Gut microbiota and serum cytokine levels were evaluated after L. fermentum treatment. Male CTL rats had a lower relative abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae and Prevotella and a lower alpha diversity than their female CTL counterparts (p < 0.05). In addition, male CTL rats had a higher Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) ratio than female CTL rats (p < 0.05). In female rats, the administration of L. fermentum at 10⁸ CFU decreased the relative abundance of Bifidobacteriaceae and Anaerobiospirillum and increased Lactobacillus (p < 0.05). In male rats, the administration of L. fermentum at 10¹⁰ CFU decreased the F/B ratio and increased Lachnospiraceae and the diversity of the gut microbiota (p < 0.05). The relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae and the alpha-diversity of gut microbiota were negatively correlated with serum levels of IL1β (r = −0.44) and TNFα (r = −0.39), respectively. This study identified important changes in gut microbiota between male and female rats and showed that a lower dose of L. fermentum may have more beneficial effects on gut microbiota in females, while a higher dose may result in more beneficial effects on gut microbiota in male rats.

The consumption of organic foods, when performed regularly, tends to promote additional health benefits, as they present in their composition a higher content of bioactive compounds that contribute to improving and strengthening the immune response. Therefore, this study sought to evaluate the consumption of organic food in adults during the pandemic period using a self-administered questionnaire about its conceptualization, consumption, purchase motivations and changes in eating habits during the COVID-19 pandemic. From this, it was found that most of them know what the concept of “organic food” means, however, most respondents did not start consuming during the COVID-19 pandemic. No less important, it is worth noting that among the motivations for buying this food product, the most influential factor is the benefits provided by the consumption of these foods. In addition, a significant portion of respondents (28.3% “Yes”; 48.1% “More or less”) claimed that there were changes to healthier eating habits during the pandemic.

Perante a realidade estabelecida pela pandemia da COVID-19, foi outorgado o atendimento nutricional on-line pelo CFN para prestar apoio nutricional. Dessa forma, este estudo teve como objetivo apontar percepções a respeito da teleconsulta de nutrição, discorrendo sobre a avaliação, o diagnóstico nutricional, os desafios e vantagens deste método de atendimento. Refere-se a uma pesquisa de revisão da literatura científica, na qual foi elaborada por meio de um levantamento bibliográfico em bases de dados, sendo incluídos 8 artigos científicos após a aplicação dos critérios de exclusão. Diante dos relatos dos nutricionistas, a antropometria, o contato com o paciente e as dificuldades técnicas são os pontos mais prejudicados no teleatendimento. E ainda, problemas com o acesso à internet em algumas regiões, câmera incompatível, falta de entendimento da tecnologia, anseios com relação à segurança ou preferência pelo acompanhamento nutricional de modo presencial, foram limitações apresentadas pelos pacientes. Apesar disso, os profissionais indicaram ter satisfação quanto ao método de atendimento, relatando ter sido uma excelente escolha durante a pandemia, e que deve permanecer como forma complementar aos atendimentos presenciais.