Objectives: Food supplements and medicines which are not on the list of prohibited substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency are included in the group of permitted pharmacological agents for athlete’s recovery. The aim of this study was to describe qualitatively and quantitatively food supplements (FS) and over-the-counter drugs use among athletes in the last six month. Methods: This was a cross sectional study. Data on food supplements and the over-the-counter drugs, usage were collected during 2018 by self-administered, anonymous questionnaire. Results: A total of 112 athletes completed the survey. A total of 51.8% (n = 58) athletes reported the use of food supplements. The use of medical supplements was reported by 50.0% (n = 56) of athletes, 26.8% (n = 30) reported using ergogenic supplements, 1.8% (n = 2) using of sports food and 4.5% (n = 5) using other supplements. The use of over-the-counter drugs was reported by 35.7% (n = 40) of athletes. The over-the-counter analgesic drugs were used by 95% (n = 38) of over-the-counter drug users. Concomitant administration two or more over-the-counter drugs was reported by 40% (n = 16) athletes. Doctors and coaches had no advisory role in the use of food supplements or over-the-counter drugs.

Aflatoksin M1 ve M2, aflatoksin B1 ve B2'nin hidroksile metabolitleri olup, sut ve sut urunlerinde bulunabilir. Bu calismanin amaci, Bosna-Hersek'in farkli bolgelerinden farkli donemlere ait test sonuclarini kullanarak cig sutteki bu toksine maruz kalma ve saglik riski degerlendirmesi yapmaktir. AFM1 alim degerlendirmesi icin, Bosna-Hersek'te Tarim ve Kirsal Kalkinmaya Yonelik Katilim Oncesi Yardim Sektor Analizleri raporundaki veriler kullanilmistir. Aflatoksin M1'in cig sutteki konsantrasyonu icin, Saraybosna Eczacilik Universitesi Toksikolojik Kimya Fakultesi Laboratuvari'ndan alinan onceki calismalarin verileri ile yayinlanmamis veriler kullanilmistir. Dort maruziyet senaryosu icin yillik hepatoseluler karsinom riski (HCC) insidansi hesaplanarak risk karakterizasyonu yapilmistir. Sonuclar, ortalama tahmini gunluk aflatoksin M1 aliminin gunde 0.049 ng/kg vucut agirligi oldugunu gostermistir. Hepatoseluler karsinom riski (vaka/yil/100.000 kisi), HBsAg prevalansina bagli olarak nispeten dusuk bulunmustur (ortalama 0.000064-0.000074 vaka/yil/100.000). Son yillarda, aflatoksin M1'in kanserojen riskinin dusuk oldugu ve Bosna Hersek'te kritik olmadigi sonucuna varilmistir.

Oxidative stress is a state of excess of prooxidative species relative to the antioxidant defenses (enzymatic and nonenzymatic) in a living organism. The consequence of this imbalance is damage of the major cellular macromolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and DNA), which further leads to a gradual loss of tissue and organ function. It has been shown that oxidative stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of many chronic diseases (cardiovascular, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases and cancer) and in the process of aging. Thus, many strategies to combat oxidative stress have been proposed and tested. In this context, food rich in antioxidants has received great attention. Pomegranate, berries, and walnuts have been recognized as “superfood” particularly for their cardioprotective effects. The common characteristic of these foods is the high content of ellagitannins. Since tannins are not bioavailable, they have been neglected in nutrition science and even considered antinutrients for a long time. However, this view has changed dramatically once it was recognized that ellagic acid, released from ellagitannins in the gastrointestinal system, is further metabolized by colonic microbiota to bioavailable compounds—known as urolithins. Thus, urolithins (3,4-benzocoumarin derivatives) have emerged as novel natural bioactive compounds and are now the focus of extensive investigations. So far, urolithins were shown to be powerful modulators of oxidative stress and agents with potential anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and antiaging properties. Furthermore, a few synthetic derivatives of urolithins were recognized as lead compounds for new drug development. Available data on urolithin synthesis, physicochemical and pharmacokinetic characteristics, biological activity, and safety will be presented in this review.

Background Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrinopathy affecting up to 20% of pre-menopausal women. The most recent international guidelines set lifestyle management as the cornerstone of the PCOS treatment. Still, there is a paucity of data on the implementation of lifestyle management in clinical practice. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore physicians-reported practices in PCOS lifestyle management in the Sarajevo Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). The profession of dietetics is not legally recognized in BiH. Nutritional interventions in health promotion and disease treatment are provided by medical professionals. Methods Data were collected by a paper-based questionnaire distributed during March-May 2018 in the Public Institution Health Centre of Sarajevo Canton. Results Forty-six physicians (response rate of 80.7%) completed the questionnaire. An initial treatment plan based solely on lifestyle measures (diet + physical activity), as recommended by current guidelines was reported by 34.8% of physicians. Although dietary interventions were rated as highly relevant in PCOS management by the vast majority of physicians, only one-half reported recording patients' adherence and 45.7% of physicians were unsure of the effectiveness of the lifestyle interventions in their patients. Conclusion PCOS lifestyle management in the study setting is sub-optimal. Additional education on effective PCOS lifestyle management strategies would be beneficial, especially for physicians with less than 15 years in practice. Possible obstacles to better physicians' engagement in PCOS lifestyle management should be further investigated.

The main objective of this study was to determine the content of heavy metals Cd, Pb, Hg and metalloid As in samples of date mussels Lithophaga lithophaga L., 1758 in order to evaluate the health risks for mussel consumers. Samples of shellfish were obtained from commercial sources and fishery in the area of Sarajevo. The content of heavy metals and arsenic is determined in a total of 46 samples. Samples were prepared by microwave digestion. For the analysis of total As, cadmium and lead, an atomic absorption spectrophotometer with graphite furnace was used, while mercury content was determined using a direct Hg analyser. In all samples, the content of heavy metals and arsenic was above the quantification limit of the given methods. The content of all analysed metals and metalloid was below the limits of their maximum allowable concentration in food, according to the current regulations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union. Evaluation of the public health risks associated with date mussels' consumption indicates that there is no evident risk for a moderate adult consumer.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are chemicals of global concern due to their potential for long-range transport, persistence in environment, ability to biomagnify and bioaccumulate in ecosystems, as well as their significant negative effects on human health and the environment. In this study, seven targeted polychlorinated byphenils (PCBs, IUPAC Nos. 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, and 180) and the organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, cis-chlordane, trans-chlordane and oxy-chlordane were quantified in European date mussel (Lithophaga lithophaga L., 1758.) collected from the Sarajevo fish market (Bosnia and Herzegovina). This slow-growing species is widespread along the whole Mediterranean rocky coastline. In Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), this species has not been protected by law and the date mussel harvested in the area of the Neum bay (Adriatic sea) could be found in free sale on BiH market. Applied gas chromatography and tissue extraction methods were validated in the NIVA laboratory. Our samples (n=61) were 4.5-8.4 cm in length. Total OCPs in the analyzed samples were low (ranging from non-detectable to 0.419 µg kg-1 w.w.), while Σ7PCBs was ranging from 20.26 to 135.37 µg kg-1 w.w.. PCBs 101, 118, 138 and 153 were dominant congeners in all samples.

Fish is the main single source of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) exposure in men. Anecdotal reports suggest high wild fish consumption rates among sport fishermen in Sanski Most area, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Presence of PCBs in the environment in BiH was previously documented. The main objective of this work was to estimate the magnitude of PCBs exposure and assess the potential health risk in sport fishermen in Sanski Most. The fishing pattern and magnitude of fish consumption were estimated in the questionnaire survey conducted during April 2012 among members (n = 60) of the local sport fishermen association in Sanski Most. Calculated median and high-end (90th percentile) fish consumption rates were 31 g d−1 and 126 g d−1, respectively. The PCB concentrations (as Aroclor 1254 equivalents), determined by ELISA immunoassay in 28 fish fillets ranged from undetectable to 208 μg kg−1. Two different exposure scenarios were used: (a) median exposure, calculated from the median fish consumption rate and median PCB concentrations, and (b) “worst case” scenario, calculated from the high-end fish consumption rate and mean PCB concentrations. The results suggest negligible lifelong cancer and non-cancer risks in case of low to moderate fish consumption rate, but possibly unacceptable risk levels in high-end consumers.

The main objective of this study was to determine levels of certain persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Neretva River, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which is currently facing implementation of the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and environmental protection strategies. This is the very first report on the deployment of semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) in BiH. SPMDs were used for continuous 3-weeks sampling of POPs at three locations, covering 220 km long stream of the Neretva River. Water concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) were calculated using performance reference compounds (PRCs). The total OCP concentrations ranged from 40 to 140 pg L−1 and most of compounds were detected only in lower course of the river. Total PAH ranged from 160 to 4000 pg L−1 and show a clear spatial variation. Dominant PAHs were phenanthrene, fluoranthene, fluorene and acenaphthene. Total PCB ranged from undetectable to 120 pg L−1. From the group of 15 PBDE congeners investigated, only PBDE-47 and PBDE-99 were detected. Since the concentrations of broad spectrum of POPs found in the Neretva River are quite low, future actions should be focused on preservation rather than on sanitation measures. Regular monitoring should anyhow be established.