Abstract
Metabolomics is a powerful tool for the investigation of interactions between diet, nutrients, and human metabolism. Ecklonia cava is an edible brown alga that is abundantly found in Korea and Japan and contains unique polyphenols referred to as phlorotannins. However, there are few metabolomics studies related to the effects of polyphenols in humans. In this study, we performed a mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analysis of urine samples from participants with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 25 kg/m2 and lower than 30 kg/m2 to investigate the effects of the intake of seapolynol isolated from E. cava. Metabolomic profiling showed that the levels of riboflavin, urocanic acid, 5-hydroxy-6-methoxyindole glucuronide, and guanidino valeric acid were significantly increased in the seapolynol intake group compared with the placebo group. A correlation analysis was performed to identify the association between the metabolites’ levels and clinical characteristics related to body fat. Among the metabolites whose concentrations changed in the seapolynol intake group, riboflavin was associated with BMI, body weight, fat mass, and percent body fat. These findings suggest that the decreased body fat induced by the intake of seapolynol is related to an increase in the antioxidant effect of riboflavin.
Highlights
IntroductionEcklonia cava is an edible brown alga that is not available in Europe but is abundantly found in
Ecklonia cava is an edible brown alga that is not available in Europe but is abundantly found inKorea (30,000 t per year) and Japan [1]
The values of clinical characteristics related to body fat, such as percent body fat and fat/lean ratio, were significantly decreased after seapolynol intake, whereas they did not change in the placebo group
Summary
Ecklonia cava is an edible brown alga that is not available in Europe but is abundantly found in. Korea (30,000 t per year) and Japan [1]. It has already been used in various fields, for instance, as a food ingredient, in medicine, and in animal feeds. E. cava extracts can affect body fat and body weight in humans [3]. Lee et al reported that abdominal fat was significantly reduced in obese Korean people by the intake of E. cava extracts [4]. The incidence of obesity has steadily increased over the last three decades worldwide [5]. Obesity is a complex disease that is affected by genetic factors, eating habits, and several environmental factors
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