Hi everyone.

In short: Inositol is sometimes recommended as an adjunct for PCOS symptom management. Alongside the expected effects, I've seen people report increased dental sensitivity, cavitation, and other related problems. These are mostly anecdotal, but seem quite common.

Is there any data explaining why this might be?

Please let me know if this is the wrong sub to ask, will repost in the right place. What people described seemed dietary rather than mechanical (i.e., from residue on the teeth).

Was checking amino acid profiles for some foods and noticed something weird. For example, here's a comparison for Soy proteins using USDA data (https://tools.myfooddata.com/protein-calculator/174276-172475-174270-174299/gm-gm-gm-gm/113.2-578.9-274-550/1). Portion sizes are normalized to 100g of protein. You can notice 3 things:

1. There's a 21% to 444% difference between max and min value of each AA (https://ibb.co/rxC5wnp)

2. Even though all have exactly 100.0g protein, if you sum the AAs, 3/4 are significantly off.

3. Cysteine is super low in Tofu. Why? Does making Tofu somehow discard/destroy cysteine?

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adn5421

The Role of the FADS Gene and Inflammatory Cascade in African Americans

1. FADS Gene Variants and Elevated Arachidonic Acid (AA)

Approximately 80% of African Americans carry a variant in the FADS gene (rs174537), significantly higher than the ~40% prevalence among European Americans. This variant enhances the efficiency of converting dietary linoleic acid (LA), an omega-6 fatty acid commonly found in processed foods, into arachidonic acid (AA) (Sergeant et al., 2012; Blasbalg et al., 2011; Chilton et al., 2022). Due to the prevalent Western diet rich in omega-6, African Americans with this FADS variant tend to have higher average serum AA levels (0.20-0.24 mg/dL) compared to White Americans (0.15-0.18 mg/dL) (Sergeant et al., 2012; Blasbalg et al., 2011). High AA levels contribute to an inflammatory profile, with research indicating that 50-75% of African Americans exceed the AA healthy threshold of 0.20-0.25 mg/dL, while only 10-20% of White Americans exceed this limit (Sergeant et al., 2012).

2. Inflammatory Cascade and Elevated IL-6 and CRP

High AA levels activate pathways that produce pro-inflammatory cytokines, contributing to chronic inflammation. Two key markers—interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP)—are commonly elevated in African Americans. Average IL-6 levels for African Americans are around 2.5-3.5 pg/mL, about 25-40% higher than the 1.8-2.5 pg/mL observed in White Americans (Palermo et al., 2024). IL-6 levels above the healthy threshold (3.0-5.0 pg/mL) are observed in 30-50% of African Americans, compared to only 10-20% of White Americans (Palermo et al., 2024). This cytokine plays a role in immune response regulation and is associated with higher risks of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, both of which disproportionately affect African Americans (Cushman et al., 2024; Jackson Heart Study, 2021).

CRP levels also reflect this inflammatory pattern. African Americans average between 3.0-5.5 mg/L in CRP, which is 40-60% higher than the levels observed in White Americans (2.0-3.5 mg/L). Elevated CRP, generally associated with heightened cardiovascular disease risk, affects 40-60% of African Americans beyond the healthy threshold of 3.0 mg/L, while only 20-30% of White Americans exceed this level (Cushman et al., 2024; Palermo et al., 2024).

3. Potential Impact of an Omega-Balanced Food Environment

While increasing omega-3 intake is beneficial for reducing inflammation, it is not sufficient on its own. Both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids play distinct roles in inflammation: omega-3s are generally anti-inflammatory, whereas omega-6s are typically pro-inflammatory (Simopoulos, 2002; Chilton et al., 2022). These fatty acids compete for the same receptors and enzymatic pathways in the body (Calder, 2006; Chilton et al., 2022), so maintaining an appropriate balance between them is essential. Notably, simply increasing omega-3 intake may not effectively counterbalance high omega-6 levels, as fatty acid receptors can reach saturation and thus will not absorb more omega-3s beyond a certain point (Calder, 2006; Simopoulos, 2008). Therefore, reducing omega-6 intake, alongside maintaining adequate omega-3 levels, is critical for controlling inflammation.

In cases where certain FADS gene variants are present, limiting omega-6 intake may be necessary to avoid inflammation that arises from excessive AA production (Chilton et al., 2022). This targeted approach to managing omega intake aligns with the need for an omega-balanced food environment, particularly to mitigate health risks within African American communities who are disproportionately affected by high AA levels.

In conclusion, equitable access to a balanced diet, less reliant on omega-6-rich processed foods, could benefit African American communities substantially, reducing the prevalence of chronic inflammation and its associated health and economic burdens.

References

1.	Sergeant, S., Hugenschmidt, C. E., Rudock, M. E., et al. “Differences in arachidonic acid levels and fatty acid desaturase (FADS) gene variants in African Americans and European Americans.” British Journal of Nutrition, 107(4), 547-555, 2012.
2.	Blasbalg, T. L., Hibbeln, J. R., Ramsden, C. E., et al. “Changes in consumption of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in the United States.” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 93(5), 950-962, 2011.
3.	Simopoulos, A. P. “The importance of the omega-6/omega-3 fatty acid ratio in cardiovascular disease and other chronic diseases.” Experimental Biology and Medicine, 227(5), 365-367, 2002.
4.	Calder, P. C. “Polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory processes: New twists in an old tale.” Biochimie, 88(1), 201-212, 2006.
5.	Palermo, B. J., Wilkinson, K. S., Plante, T. B., et al. “Interleukin-6, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome in a biracial cohort: REGARDS study.” Diabetes Care, 47(3), 491-500, 2024.
6.	Cushman, M., Long, D. L., Olson, N. C., et al. “Racial differences in inflammatory markers and cardiovascular disease risk.” Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 36(3), 561-570, 2024.
7.	Chilton, F. H., Manichaikul, A., Yang, C., et al. “Interpreting Clinical Trials With Omega-3 Supplements in the Context of Ancestry and FADS Genetic Variation.” Frontiers in Nutrition, PMCID: PMC8861490, 2022.
8.	Jackson Heart Study. “Health disparities in cardiovascular disease in African Americans.” Diabetes Care, 2021.

I'm a second year PhD student and still need another 300 participants (18+). I developed a sugar addiction scale and looking to validate my scale against other eating behaviour scales. Additionally, I am curious to understand the association between sugar addiction and other mental health variables. You have the chance of winning one of three £20 Amazon vouchers!! The study takes ~20 min to fill out

https://bbk.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2fYxTHmgjQN1hZk

Abstract: A high-quality diet during pregnancy may have positive effects on fetal growth and nutritional status at birth, and it may modify the risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between diet quality and newborn nutritional status in a group of pregnant Mexican women. As part of the ongoing Mexican prospective cohort study, OBESO, we studied 226 healthy pregnant women. We adapted the Alternated Healthy Eating Index-2010 for pregnancy (AHEI-10P). The association between maternal diet and newborn nutritional status was investigated by multiple linear regression and logistic regression models. We applied three 24-h recalls during the second half of gestation. As the AHEI-10P score improved by 5 units, the birth weight and length increased (β = 74.8 ± 35.0 g and β = 0.3 ± 0.4 cm, respectively, p < 0.05). Similarly, the risk of low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) decreased (OR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.27–0.82 and OR: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.36–0.85, respectively). In women without preeclampsia and/or GDM, the risk of stunting decreased as the diet quality score increased (+5 units) (OR: 0.62, 95%IC: 0.40–0.96). A high-quality diet during pregnancy was associated with a higher newborn size and a reduced risk of LBW and SGA in this group of pregnant Mexican women.

Conclusions: A high-quality diet during pregnancy was associated with a higher newborn weight, length, and reduced risk of low birth weight and SGA. Women who did not develop preeclampsia and/or GDM also showed this association and had a lower risk of stunting. AHEI-10P is an alternative for evaluating diet quality in pregnant women, focusing on important nutrients for maternal and fetal health. More studies evaluating diet (quantity and quality) and its effects on newborn nutrition status in developing countries are necessary.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8227044/