37201 - Metabolic Biochemistry (C)

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to give a basic knowledge about the role of macro- and micronutrients in common foods, their dietary intake and requirements, to describe the role of functional foods and nutraceutical compounds in the prevention/counteraction of chronic degenerative diseases, to study the metabolism of the body for the normal state and for states where nutrient availability is altered or disease is imposed, and to give the general rationale about dietary supplements versus dietary changes in sedentary and physically active people.

Course contents

Defining Food Science and Nutrition Science. Food quality and its determinants from farm to fork. The role of consumers and the new "from fork to farm" assumption.

Formulation of dietary guidelines: BMI and biochemical evaluations, RDA, food pyramids. Nutrient classes. The seven classes of foods.

Nutrition and metabolism of carbohydrates: food sources, digestion, absorption, metabolism and function. Lactose intolerance. Galactosemia. Foods and glucose tolerance, glycemic index, nutrition of the diabetic. Non energy related functions of carbohydrates. Dietary fiber.

Nutrition and metabolism of fats: food sources, absorption, metabolism and function. Saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Trans fatty acids. N-6 and n-3 fatty acids: biosynthesis, metabolic functions, RDA, nutritional sources. Cholesterol nutrition and the control of serum cholesterol concentration. Lipoproteins. Oxidative stress: reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Intracellular and extracellular antioxidants. Functional foods and nutraceutical compounds in the prevention of chronic degenerative diseases.

Nutrition and metabolism of proteins: essential aminoacids, food sources of proteins and protein quality, digestion, absorption, metabolism and function. Nitrogen balance. Protein requirements. Protein and disease: homocystinuria, phenylketonuria, celiac disease, protein malnutrition.

Water: endogenous and exogenous sources. Water requirement. Water homeostasis in the body.

Ethanol metabolism, diet and alcoholism.

Coffee, tea, cocoa and chocolate

Nutrition and metabolism of vitamins: nomenclature, sources and properties. Vitamin A, D, K and E: absorption, metabolism, storage, functions, requirements, deficiency and toxicity. Vitamin C: function, metabolism, requirements, deficiency and toxicity. The B vitamins involved in the intermediary metabolism: function, metabolism, requirements, deficiency and toxicity. Interaction of drugs with vitamins.

Nutrition and metabolism of the major minerals and of trace elements: absorption, metabolism, excretion, storage, requirements, deficiency and toxicity

Dietary supplements: definition and legal regulation in the EU dimension. Reasons for taking supplements. Vitamin supplements and mineral supplements: judging the adequacy of micronutrient intakes. Protein supplements. Branched chain aminoacids and creatine: rationale and evidence for the use of supplements. Dietary supplements in sedentary people and in physical activity.

Readings/Bibliography

CARLA PIGNATTI. Biochimica della Nutrizione, Società Editrice Esculapio, Bologna, 2022

Teaching methods

Theoretical lessons with Power Point slides. During the course the utilization of the main food composition databases will also be illustrated.

Assessment methods

  The Nutrition Biochemistry examination at the end of the course aims to assess the achievement of learning objectives:

 - to know the macro and micronutrients in food and their metabolic role

- to know the role of functional foods and bioactive nutraceutical compounds in the prevention of chronic/degenerative diseases

- to know the rationale and evidence to use nutritional supplements in sedentary people and in physical activity

- to have acquired ability to manage nutrition education programs

The Examination consists of an oral examination. The vote is defined by an oral test with questions aimed at evaluating the theoretical knowledge about macro and micro nutrients in food, about the possibility to prevent chronic degenerative diseases by an adequate nutrition and to evaluate the knowledge about dietary supplements to compensate potential inadequacy of the diet.

The Metabolic Biochemistry exam consists of an interview held by the student with the teachers of the course itself. Each teacher expresses his/her assessment through a grade, based on the ability demonstrated by the student to present specific topics in a concise, accomplished and critical way     in the field of glucose metabolism, mitochondrial bioenergetics, nitrogen metabolism, lipid metabolism, hormones-neurotransmitters and signal transduction, and nutritional biochemistry. The various partial grades, in proportion to the number of credits, contribute to the Metabolic Biochemistry grade.

Graduation of the final grade:

Mediocre preparation and on a limited number of topics covered in the course → sufficient/mediocre assessments;

Good level of preparation on various topics covered in the course and good ability to carry out an in-depth analysis and connections between different aspects of the topics discussed → fair/good evaluations);

Exhaustive preparation on the topics covered in the course, excellent ability to carry out an in-depth analysis and connections between different aspects of the topics discussed, and mastery of the specific terminology → very good/excellent evaluations

Before taking the oral interview of Metabolic Biochemistry, the student must take and pass the written test of Chemistry and General Biochemistry. The grades obtained in the course of Chemistry and General Biochemistry, Metabolic Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology contribute to the definition of the Biochemistry I.C. grade, which will correspond to the weighted average on the basis of the respective credits. According to the teaching rules, the BIOCHEMISTRY exam, like all those of the 1st year of the Medicine and Surgery Course, must be passed before the student faces the exams of the 4th year and of the following years.

The final vote of the integrated course will be the arithmetic average of the marks obtained in the two parts (Physiology of Nutrition and Nutritional Biochemistry)

Teaching tools

Set of slides concerning each topic of the Course Program can be downloaded from the website https://virtuale.unibo.it/by students enrolled at the University of Bologna (University institutional username and password required) .

Office hours

See the website of Carla Pignatti