13952 - Nutritional Biochemistry

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student:

-knows the basic elements on the biochemical and nutritional role of macro, micronutrients and bioactive components contained in commonly used foods in human nutrition.

-Knows the role of functional foods, foods for special medical purposes, and foods aimed at specific population cohorts, understands and is able to interpret nutritional, functional and health claims

- will be able to understand the general rationale about dietary supplements versus dietary changes in sedentary and physically active people, and will be able to provide, as a future pharmacist, correct information on the guidelines for correct nutrition and effective orientation towards specific diets, also collaborating on programs of nutritional education.

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.

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.

Nutraceutical Components of the Diet: Nutraceutical versus Pharmaceutical? The concept of Potentiative Medicine and Pharma-Food.

Functional foods, Foods for special medical purposes and Novel Foods: description and legislation

From functional food to nutraceutical: the European Consensus Document. Nutritional claims (allowed nutritional indications), functional and health claims.

Phytochemicals contained in food: classification and evaluation of bioavailability

Mechanism of action of bioactive components of foods: anti-inflammatory action and the signal transduction pathway mediated by the factor NF-kB; detoxifying action and the transduction pathway mediated by the Nrf2 factor

Nutrients and Nutrigenomics: introduction to nutrigenomics, difference between nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics, direct and indirect effect of nutrients on gene expression, epigenome and modulation by nutrients/nutraceuticals.

Interaction between nutrients, nutraceuticals and drugs: Drug-food and drug-supplement interactions

Readings/Bibliography

C. PIGNATTI. Biochimica della Nutrizione, Società Editrice Esculapio, Bologna

A. MARIANI COSTANTINI, C. CANNELLA, G. TOMASSI, Fondamenti di Nutrizione Umana, Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore, Roma.

I.COZZANI e E. DAINESE. Biochimica degli Alimenti e della Nutrizione. Piccin, Padova, 2006

Teaching methods

Theoretical lessons with Power Point slides.

Assessment methods

The 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, food for medical purposes, 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

Examination consists of an oral examination. The vote is defined by an oral test with three 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. Registration is required by Alma Esami. The final vote of the integrated course will be the weighted average of the marks obtained in the two parts (Nutritional Biochemistry and FOOD CHEMISTRY II and DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS )

Teaching tools

PC, overhead projector

Office hours

See the website of Silvana Hrelia