Lactovegetarian Diet Research Articles

Effects of low‐fat lactovegetarian diet on health parameters of adult subjects

Forty‐two healthy adult omnivorous subjects and 28 experienced lactovegetarians participated in this experimental study lasting for seven months, February through August. The objective was to assess the effects of a low‐fat, low‐vitamin D diet on health status indicators, in particular on serum concentrations of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. Initially, 21 omnivorous subjects changed from mixed‐type diet to a low‐fat lactovegetarian diet. Their other health habits, such as rest, exercise, and use of stimulants, were not altered. In addition, a reference group was studied consisting of 21 omnivorous subjects, who did not change their dietary practices. No changes in weight, body mass index, defecation frequency, or maximal oxygen intake were found during the study among the new lactovegetarians, nor was there any significant change in the systolic or diastolic blood pressure. The new lactovegetarians, however, reported more often changes in their perceived health, increased diarrhea and flatulence, as well...

Reducing-diet and exercise-training effects on serum lipids and lipoproteins in mildly obese women

Twenty-one mildly obese women were fed a 1268-kcal lactovegetarian diet for 5 wk. Subjects were randomly divided into either an exercise (Ex) or a nonexercise (Nex) group. The Ex group walked at 60% heart-rate reserve (134 +/- 2 bpm; mean +/- SEM) during 45-min sessions, five times per week. Although exercise improved estimated maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max; 20.9 +/- 3.2% vs 2.1 +/- 3.4% in Ex vs Nex, respectively), changes in total body, lean body, and fat weight did not differ significantly between groups. Total body weight decreased 5.5 +/- 0.6 and 5.6 +/- 0.2 kg in Ex and Nex, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in the pattern of change between groups for serum high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C; F[2,38] = 5.93, P = 0.006) but not for total cholesterol (TC), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, or glucose. Change in diet quality and body weight were found to account fully for the 12.7 +/- 1.9% decrease in TC. When change in dietary quality and body weight are equated in a group of mildly obese women, the effect of moderate exercise training on indices of serum lipid and lipoprotein is limited to HDL-C.

The Effect of a Shift from a Mixed to a Lacto-vegetarian Diet on some Intestinal Microflora Associated Characteristics

The Effect of a Shift from a Mixed to a Lacto-vegetarian Diet on some Intestinal Microflora Associated Characteristics

The Effect of a Shift from a Mixed to a Lacto-vegetarian Diet on some Intestinal Microflora Associated Characteristics

The effects of a switch to a lacto-vegetarian diet on several biochemical parameters was studied in twenty normal weight, non-smoking, healthy omnivores who were on no medical treatment. A dietary survey was performed and faecal and urinary samples collected before and three months after the diet shift. The shift resulted in no change in energy intake, a decrease in protein and fat intake ( p =0.04 and 0.009 respectively) and an increase in total carbohydrate and fibre intake ( p =0.0003 for both). Four biochemical intestinal microflora-associated characteristics (MACs) were followed. There was no significant difference in breakdown of mucin, conversion of cholesterol to coprostanol or inactivation of tryptic activity. The excretion of short chain fatty acids and faecal weight increased significantly ( p <0.01 and p <0.05, respectively). Keywords: Lacto-vegetation diet; Tryptic activity; Cholesterol; Mucin; Short chain fatty acids.

Shift from a mixed diet to a lactovegetarian diet: Influence on some cancer‐associated intestinal bacterial enzyme activities

This investigation studied the effects of a shift from a mixed diet to a lactovegetarian diet on some cancer-associated bacterial enzymes in human feces (beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase, and sulphatase). Three months after the shift to the lactovegetarian diet, there was a significant decrease in beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase, and sulphatase activities per gram feces wet weight (p less than 0.05, less than 0.05, and less than 0.001, respectively). In contrast, glucuronide and glucoside hydrolysis remained unchanged per gram dry weight, although sulphatase activity was still significantly lowered when expressed this way (p less than 0.01). However, the fecal excretion increased significantly (p less than 0.05). Part of the explanation for the decreased enzyme activities is obviously a dilution effect, because much of the increased fecal weight after the shift in diet was associated with a higher water content. The higher water content was probably due to a higher fiber intake (p less than 0.001). Thus, the results in this paper indicate that a change from a mixed diet to a lactovegetarian diet leads to a decrease in certain enzyme activities proposed to be risk factors for colon cancer.

Shift from a mixed to a lactovegetarian diet: influence on acidic lipids in fecal water--a potential risk factor for colon cancer

Although there have recently been reports in the literature indicating that vegetarian-type diets are protective against the development of human colon cancer, this is still far from clear. It was also recently indicated that the concentration of acidic lipids in the aqueous phase of stool constitutes a risk factor for the development of colon cancer. Thus, we examined the effect of a change from a mixed to a lactovegetarian diet on this fecal variable. The dietary change caused a decrease in the total concentration of soluble fecal fatty acids (4310 +/- 3020 to 1080 +/- 1040 mumol/L, p less than 0.05) and deoxycholic acid (125 +/- 42 to 73 +/- 35 mumol/L, p less than 0.05). However, there was no change in either the total bile acid concentration in (164 +/- 54 to 107 +/- 41 mumol/L) or the cellular toxicity of (0.94 +/- 0.55 to 1.60 +/- 0.63 mumol/L, relative survival) the aqueous phase of stool. Thus, the consumption of a lactovegetarian diet may reduce certain risk factors of potential significance in colon carcinogenesis.

Urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion increases with repeated weight training exercise

This investigation examines the effect of progressive resistance weight training exercise on urinary 3-methylhistidine (3-MH) excretions in untrained subjects. For 19 consecutive days, 11 males were fed a weight maintenance, lactovegetarian diet which contained the Recommended Dietary Allowance (0.8g.kg-1.d-1) for protein. No exercise was performed for the first 7 d of the study. Subjects were strength tested on day 8 and performed upper and lower body weight training exercises from days 9-19. Complete, 24-h urine collections were obtained from each subject on a daily basis. Samples were assayed for creatinine and 3-MH. Stable baseline 3-MH values were present during the pre-exercise control period. Significant increases in 3-MH occurred by study day 11, which was the third day of weight training exercise. This was true regardless of whether the data were expressed by daily excretions (microM.d-1; P less than 0.01), per unit of body weight (microM.kg-1.d-1; P less than 0.005), or per unit of creatinine excretion (microM.g Creat-1.d-1; P less than 0.001). Since urinary 3-MH is an index of actin and myosin catabolism, these data support the hypothesis that the rate of skeletal muscle degradation is increased during strength building exercises.

Yoga or Fiber? Thermodynamics in the Vegetarian

To the Editor.— We read with interest the correspondence between Dr Mann and Sacks et al entitled Dietary Intake, the First Law of Thermodynamics, and the Properties of Yoga 1 concerning the intriguing question of low energy requirements in vegetarians. In the original article by Sacks et al, 2 it is reported, as expected, that the lactovegetarian diet had a prevalence of unrefined carbohydrates, vegetables, and fruit. As a consequence, fiber intake, although it was not measured, was necessarily high. Study.— In a recently completed study on the effect of dietary fiber on postprandial thermogenesis, we showed that postprandial heat production is inversely related to the fiber content of the meal. 3,4 In seven healthy volunteers, we compared postprandial thermogenesis, evaluated for six hours following the ingestion of three meals with a similar energy content and composition (1200 kcal [5040 kJ]; 15% protein, 55% carbohydrates, and 30% fat) but with

Dental erosions in relation to lactovegetarian diet.

The subjects of this study were 26 lactovegetarians and their age- and sex-matched controls. Clinical and radiologic examinations were made and samples of wax-stimulated whole saliva were collected. Dental erosions were recorded and documented with photographs and plaster models. Incipient, moderate and grave erosive defects were observed in 26.9%, 19.2% and 30.8% of the lactovegetarians, respectively. In controls, however, no erosions were observed. When tested by multiple linear regression analysis, the main factors affecting dental erosions were the rate of flow of saliva, and consumption of vinegar and vinegar conserves, citrus fruits and acidic berries.

Short term fasting and lactovegetarian diet does not affect human saliva.

Forty-two adults, visiting a Swedish health home, participated in the investigation, which included a 6-day period of fasting, followed by a 6-day period with a lactovegetarian diet. The results obtained indicated only a minor and mostly not significant influence on secretion rate, buffer effect, concentration of various electrolytes, and number of lactobacilli and S. mutans of whole saliva.

Nutrient intake and health status of lactovegetarians: chemical analyses of diets using the duplicate portion sampling technique

Six middle-aged lactovegetarians (three men and three women) collected copies of four 24-h diets using the duplicate portion sampling technique. By chemical analyses, the nutrient composition of the lactovegetarian diet was determined in detail and compared with that of a mixed Swedish diet (normal) and a vegan diet (vegan) studied previously. The nutrient composition of the lactovegetarian diet expressed per 1000 kcal represented an average between normal and vegan diets. It was in closer agreement with Swedish recommended dietary allowances than the normal Swedish diet. Thus, the lactovegetarian diet contained 35% of the energy as fat and was rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially linoleic acid, which resulted in a polyunsaturated/saturated fat ratio of 0.6. The lactovegetarian diet had a cholesterol concentration only half of that of a normal diet. Protein content and amino acid composition were well above recommendations. The lactovegetarian diets contained less sucrose than normal and vegan diets, but the sum of the intake of low molecular weight carbohydrates was comparable to normal and vegan diets. Dietary fiber was three times higher than in a normal diet. Essential minerals and trace elements, ie, Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, Zn, Cu, Se, satisfied current requirements. The intake of vitamin B12 by the lactovegetarians was around 1.4 µg daily, which is below the recommendations. The intake of folates was high, 300 to 400 µg daily. The clinical and biochemical investigation of the subjects revealed no signs of nutritional deficiency. Their plasma lipoproteins and the blood pressures were low for their age, in agreement with observations made earlier in a group of vegans.

Levels of organochlorine contaminants in human milk in relation to the dietary habits of the mothers.

The levels of p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, dieldrin, alpha- and beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH, beta-HCH), hexachlorobenzene and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in milk fat from mothers with different dietary habits. The categories studied comprised mothers eating a lacto-vegetarian diet (18 milk samples), a mixed diet (20 milk samples) and a mixed diet which regularly included fatty fish from the Baltic (11 milk samples). The lowest levels of p,p'-DDT+p,p'-DDE and PCBs were found in milk from lacto-vegetarians and the highest levels in milk from mothers who regularly consumed fatty fish from the Baltic. Factors other than the diets which could influence the levels of the organochlorine compounds are discussed, e.g. mother's age, amount of milk produced and mother's weight loss.

The relative importance of the intestine and kidneys as excretory channels

Despite the fact that during the past twenty years a number of investigators have attempted to dispel the popular notion that the intestine, in comparison with the kidney, is relatively unimportant as an excretory channel, this rôle of the intestine would not appear to be properly appreciated. In connection with a study of metabolism in pellagra, which we made several years ago under the auspices of the Thompson Pellagra Commission, fairly complete analyses of both the urine and feces were carried out. Thirteen subjects were studied. A lacto-vegetarian diet was employed, the experimental period extending from seven to ten days. Data on the water, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassium outputs were obtained on both the urine and the stools, furnishing an interesting comparison of the kidneys and intestine as excretory channels. It is not believed that the findings differed especially from the normal, except in that group of cases which suffered from intestinal diarrhea. The average findings in five cases with well-formed stools, 74 to 79 per cent. moisture, and those with diarrheal stools, 79 to 89 per cent. moisture, have been grouped separately in the table below. An inspection of the table shows that in the first group of cases the total nitrogen and total sulfur parallel each other very closely, as probably might be expected from their common origin (protein). With diarrhea sulfur does not appear to be quite as well absorbed as the nitrogen. Although normally very little chloride is eliminated by the intestine, the amount found in the stools may be considerably increased in diarrhea. About one third of the total phosphorus output of the intestine and kidney is found in the stools. The percentage output in the feces of both calcium and magnesium is high, due, as we believe, to the lactovegetarian diet, which resulted in a poor absorption of compounds of these elements.