Weeks Of Dietary Treatment Research Articles

A Dietary Cure For Prostatitis and the Urethral Syndrome

An analysis was done to determine the effectiveness of a dietary approach for the treatment of prostatitis in men and the urethral syndrome in women. Two thousand three hundred and eighty five patients (1,710 men and 675 women) with symptoms of prostatitis or the urethral syndrome were followed. All patients in the study had at least two symptoms commonly associated with prostatitis or urethral syndrome. All patients were treated only with a strict diet, which eliminated caffeine, alcohol, and hot, spicy foods for 12 weeks. There was an 87% success rate in men and an 89% success rate in women after 12 weeks of dietary treatment only. Success is defined as the elimination of each and every symptom at reevaluation, 12 weeks after dietary restrictions were started. It is proposed that the long sought etiology for prostatitis and the urethral syndrome is an inflammatory “allergic-like” reaction to caffeine, alcohol, and hot spices.

Gene therapy attenuates the elevated blood pressure and glucose intolerance in an insulin-resistant model of hypertension.

Fructose feeding in male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats results in a mild hypertension and glucose intolerance. Although the mechanism of this glucose intolerance and hypertension is not completely understood, a role for the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been proposed. In the current study our aim was to test the hypothesis that intervention of the RAS with a gene therapy approach would be effective in preventing the development of hypertension and glucose intolerance in this animal model. Five-day-old SD rats were administered either an empty retroviral vector (LNSV) or retroviral vector containing AT1 receptor antisense DNA (AT1R-AS). The virus (25 microl, 8 x 10(9) CFU/ml) was injected into the heart and the animals were returned to their mothers. After weaning, half the animals from each group were placed on breeder's chow or a 60% fructose diet. Indirect blood pressures (BP) were determined and an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed when the animals had been on the respective diets for 2 months. Fructose-fed animals developed mild hypertension (145 +/- 3 versus 132 +/- 4 mmHg) by 6 weeks of dietary intervention. This increase in BP was prevented by AT1R-AS treatment (125 +/- 3 mmHg). At 2 months of age, fasting blood glucose was comparable among the four groups; however, the glucose excursion during the OGTT was significantly greater and more prolonged in the LNSV-treated, fructose-fed group than the other three groups. AT1R-AS treatment significantly prevented glucose intolerance in the fructose rat to levels observed in the controls. Early fructose dietary treatment results in moderate hypertension and glucose intolerance, which is prevented by a single neonatal treatment with AT1R-AS. These results suggest that the RAS is involved in the glucose intolerance associated with fructose feeding and that genetic intervention is effective in this rat model.

Do baseline serum leptin levels predict weight regain after dieting in obese women?

Weight loss achieved during weight reduction programme is difficult to maintain. We investigated the possible role of circulating leptin in failure or success in maintaining weight loss. Serum leptin levels were measured in 30 healthy premenopausal obese women before and after 12 weeks of dietary intervention and after 5 months of follow-up. After intervention body mass index (BMI) decreased from 30.6 to 25.4 kg/m2 (p < 0.01) and leptin levels decreased from 16.7 to 7.7 ng/ml (p < 0.01). After 5 months follow-up 12 women regained reduced weight and 18 women maintained weight loss. In the regainers leptin levels increased again, but remained low in the maintainers. Baseline leptin concentrations were lower in the regainers than in the maintainers (12.1 vs. 21.2 ng/ml, p = 0.04). During intervention leptin levels decreased three times more in the maintainers than in the regainers, although weight loss was similar in both groups. This study shows that obese women who regain weight after dieting have significantly lower baseline leptin levels than women who maintain weight loss. Our results suggest that differences in leptin resistance might exist in similarly obese women which could influence the success of dieting.

Leptin levels are associated with fat oxidation and dietary-induced weight loss in obesity.

To examine the relationship between fasting plasma leptin and 24-hour energy expenditure (EE), substrate oxidation, and spontaneous physical activity (SPA) in obese subjects before and after a major weight reduction compared with normal weight controls. To test fasting plasma leptin, substrate oxidations, and SPA as predictive markers of success during a standardized weight loss intervention. Twenty-one nondiabetic obese (body mass index: 33.9 to 43.8 kg/m(2)) and 13 lean (body mass index: 20.4 to 24.7 kg/m(2)) men matched for age and height were included in the study. All obese subjects were reexamined after a mean weight loss of 19.2 kg (95% confidence interval: 15.1-23.4 kg) achieved by 16 weeks of dietary intervention followed by 8 weeks of weight stability. Twenty-four-hour EE and substrate oxidations were measured by whole-body indirect calorimetry. SPA was assessed by microwave radar. In lean subjects, leptin adjusted for fat mass (FM) was correlated to 24-hour EE before (r = -0.56, p < 0.05) but not after adjustment for fat free mass. In obese subjects, leptin correlated inversely with 24-hour and resting nonprotein respiratory quotient (r = -0.47, p < 0.05 and r = -0.50, p < 0.05) both before and after adjustments for energy balance. Baseline plasma leptin concentration, adjusted for differences in FM, was inversely related to the size of weight loss after 8 weeks (r = -0.41, p = 0.07), 16 weeks (r = -0.51, p < 0.05), and 24 weeks (r = -0.50, p < 0.05). The present study suggests that leptin may have a stimulating effect on fat oxidation in obese subjects. A low leptin level for a given FM was associated with a greater weight loss, suggesting that obese subjects with greater leptin sensitivities are more successful in reducing weight.

Anti-oxidative properties of fluvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, contribute to prevention of atherosclerosis in cholesterol-fed rabbits

Studies in vitro reveal that fluvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, has a strong DPPH radical scavenging activity and achieves concentration-dependent inhibition of copper- and cell-induced oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). To further examine the anti-oxidative activity of fluvastatin in vivo, we elucidated the effects of chronic treatment with fluvastatin at a dose insufficient to reduce plasma cholesterol levels (2 mg/kg per day) on vasomotion and vascular oxidative stress in thoracic aortas of 0.5% cholesterol-fed rabbits. After 12 weeks of dietary treatment, aortic segments from rabbits fed cholesterol alone showed impaired endothelium-dependent relaxation responses to acetylcholine and A23187 compared to normal chow-fed rabbits in association with a significant increase in plasma total cholesterol levels. In contrast, although plasma total cholesterol levels were not different from those in control cholesterol-fed rabbits, aortic segments from fluvastatin-treated rabbits showed normal relaxation. Compared with rabbits fed cholesterol alone, fluvastatin treatment decreased susceptibility of LDL to ex vivo copper-induced oxidation, reduced vascular superoxide generation, and atheromatous plaque formation. In conclusion, the potent anti-oxidative properties of fluvastatin in addition to its cholesterol-lowering activity appear to contribute to its anti-atherosclerotic effect in vivo.

Consumption of ground bison does not increase early atherosclerosis development in hypercholesterolemic hamsters

The present study investigated the effect of substituting the source of dietary protein in a hypercholesterolemic animal model. Sixty male Golden Syrian hamsters approximately 10 weeks of age were placed on a chow diet for one week. The hamsters were then divided into one of four groups, 15 hamsters per group, based on similar mean plasma cholesterol concentrations and fed a semipurified, hypercholesterolemic diet containing 20% by weight of either soy protein, casein, lyophilized ground bison, or lyophilized ground beef and 0.05% cholesterol for 8 weeks. After 8 weeks of dietary treatment, the soy protein group had significantly lower plasma total cholesterol (TC), nonHDL-C (very low- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and HDL-C (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) concentrations compared to the casein (−20, −23, and −18%; respectively), bison (−24, −32, and −19%; respectively), and beef (−34, −41, and −30%; respectively). The bison and casein groups had significantly lower plasma TC (−14 and −18%, respectively), nonHDL-C (−14% and −23%, respectively), and HDL-C (−14 and −15%, respectively) concentrations compared to the beef. The soy protein, bison, and casein groups had significantly lower plasma triglycerides (TG) concentrations compared to the beef (−49, −25, and −37%; respectively). Unexpectedly the bison and beef groups had significantly reduced early atherosclerosis compared to the soy protein (−50 and −43%, respectively) and casein (−68 and −64%, respectively). The soy protein group also had significantly reduced early atherosclerosis compared to the casein (−37%). In conclusion, plasma nonHDL-C may not be a good indicator of the development of early atherosclerosis in the hamster model and that the reduced early aortic atherosclerosis in the bison fed hamsters may be due in part to both the lipid and protein composition of the bison.

Diet therapy for rheumatoid arthritis: A controlled double-blind study of two different dietary regimens

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a diet therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Fifty RA patients entered a 24-week double-blind, randomised, controlled-study of two different dietary regimens (an experimental diet high in unsaturated fats, low in saturated fats with hypoallergenic foods vs. a control well-balanced diet). The primary end points of the study were 20% and 50% improvement in disease activity according to composite symptoms (Paulus index) of arthritis. Other end points were the other measures of disease activity at 12 and 24 weeks of diet treatment. Results: The 2 groups were comparable at inclusion. Diet treatment was well tolerated and the rate of drop-outs was low. Percentage of patients with global 20 or 50% response didn't differ between experimental and control group after the 24-week of diet treatment. The experimental diet group did better for all the variables considered but only four variables (Ritchie's index, tender and swollen joints, and ESR) reached a statistical difference by multivariate analysis. Adjusting these data for weight variations, the number of tender joints (p=0.014) and ESR (p=0.025) were still statistically significant. Conclusions: Dietary manipulation, either by modifying food supplements or by reducing weight, may give some clinical benefit although no significant improvement can be observed assessing the results with a composite index.

MECHANISM OF ANTIHYPERTENSIVE EFFECT OF DIETARY POTASSIUM IN EXPERIMENTAL VOLUME EXPANDED HYPERTENSION IN RATS

Dietary potassium supplementation lowers blood pressure (BP) and attenuates complications in hypertensive subjects, particularly those with the low renin volume expanded (LRVE) variety. We and others have shown that the plasma level of a digitalis like substance (DLS) is elevated in this type of hypertension. We therefore, examined the effect of increases in dietary potassium on the plasma level of endogenous DLS, myocardial and renal Na+, K+-ATPase (NKA) activities, BP, and renal excretory function in reduced renal mass (RRM)-salt hypertension in the rat, a classical model of LRVE hypertension. 70% RRM rats were divided in 4 groups, namely those consuming: 1) a sodium free and normal potassium (1.3% as KCl) diet (RRM-0 Na), 2) a normal sodium and normal potassium diet (RRM-NaK), 3) a normal sodium and high potassium (2 X normal) diet (RRM-Na2K), and 4) a normal sodium and 4 times normal potassium diet (RRM-Na4K). At the end of 4 weeks of dietary treatment, direct BP was recorded, plasma level of DLS determined by bioassay and with a radioimmunoassay for digoxin (DIF) and myocardial and renal NKA activities were measured. As expected, compared to RRM-0Na rats, RRM-NaK rats developed hypertension. BP increased significantly less in RRM-Na2K, whereas BP did not increase in RRM-Na4K rats. Hypertension in RRM-NaK rats was associated with an increase in plasma DLS and DIF and decrease in renal and myocardial NKA activities. DLS was increased (DIF was not changed) and myocardial NKA also decreased in rats consuming double potassium. However, quadrupling potassium in the diet (RRM-Na4K) normalized DLS and DIF and increased myocardial and renal NKA activities, compared to RRM-0Na rats. Also compared to RRM-0Na, water consumption, urinary volume excretion, sodium, and potassium increased in the other 3 groups, more so in RRM-Na4K rats. These data show that quadrupling the potassium in the diet prevents the BP increase in RRM rats and this is associated with diuresis/natriuresis and normalization of DLS, perhaps because the diuresis/natriuresis normalizes blood volume.

The effect of fenofibrate treatment on endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by oxidative modified low density lipoprotein from hyperlipidemic patients.

The objective of the research project was to investigate whether fenofibrate treatment may alter the biochemical content of the oxidized LDL and consequently its ability to impair the endothelium-dependent relaxation in hyperlipidemic patients. We hypothesized that fenofibrate treatment of hyperlipidemic patients may attenuate the ability of their oxidized LDL to impair the endothelium-dependent relaxation of the blood vessels as a consequence of fenofibrate-induced changes to the content and composition of lysoPC in the LDL molecule. Hyperlipidemic patients (Type IIb and Type IV) were recruited from the Lipid Clinic, HSC, Winnipeg, Canada, for this study. A blood sample was taken immediately after the recruitment, a second sample was taken after 6 weeks of dietary treatment, and a third sample was taken after 8 weeks of fenofibrate treatment. LDL was isolated from the plasma and oxidized by copper sulfate. Fenofibrate was shown to be highly effect in the reduction of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in these patients. Fenofibrate treatment also caused the attenuation of impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation by the oxidized LDL from these patients. A slight reduction of lysophosphatidylcholine level was also found in the oxidized LDL of the fenofibrate treated patients, relative to LDL isolated after dietary treatment. In addition there were no changes in the fatty acid levels of the lysophosphatidylcholine isolated from LDL. Taken together, our results suggest that while the reduced lysophosphatidylcholine levels may contribute to the attenuated impairment of the endothelium-dependent relaxation of the aortic ring, other unidentified factors impacted by fenofibrate are likely to contribute to the attenuated effects.

Vitamin B 6 deficiency decreases the glucose utilization in cognitive brain structures of rats

The effects of vitamin B 6 deficiency on metabolic activities of brain structures were studied. Male Sprague-Dawley weanling rats received one of the following diets: (1) 7 mg pyridoxine HCl/kg (control group); (2) 0 mg pyridoxine HCl/kg (vitamin B 6-deficient group); or (3) 7 mg pyridoxine HCl/kg with food intake restricted in quantity to that consumed by the deficient group (pair-fed control group). After 8 weeks of dietary treatment, rats in all three groups received an intravenous injection of 2-deoxy-[ 14C] glucose (100 μCi/kg). Vitamin B 6 status was evaluated by plasma pyridoxal 5′-phosphate concentrations. The vitamin B 6-deficient group had significantly lower levels of plasma pyridoxal 5′-phosphate than did the control and pair-fed groups. The local cerebral glucose utilization rates in structures of the limbic system, basal ganglia, sensory motor system, and hypothalamic system were determined. The local cerebral glucose utilization rates in each of the four brain regions in the deficient animals were approximately 50% lower ( P < 0.05) than in the control group. Results of the present study suggest that serious cognitive deficit may occur in vitamin B 6-deficient animals.

Effect of dietary fish oil, vitamin E, and probucol on renal injury in the rat

Dietary fish oil, vitamin E, and probucol have been considered in a variety of human and experimental models of kidney disease. Using subtotal nephrectomized cholesterol-fed rats as a model for progressive kidney disease, we examined the effect of 5% dietary fish oil, or a combination of 5% dietary fish oil with 500 IU vitamin E/kg diet or 1% probucol on renal injury. Three-month-old Sprague Dawley rats were fed a control diet (C group) or a cholesterol supplemented (2%) diet (Ch group) containing either fish oil (FO group) or fish oil plus vitamin E (FO+E group) or fish oil plus probucol (FO+P group). After 4 weeks of dietary treatment, the right kidney was electrocoagulated and the left kidney nephrectomized. After 8 weeks, 24-hour urine was collected before sacrifice. No effect of the dietary treatments was noted on serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, or proteinuria, except that proteinuria was highest in FO+P group. Rats receiving the cholesterol diets had higher serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) + very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol ( P < 0.05). In contrast, rats in the FO+P group had the lowest serum total cholesterol and LDL+VLDL cholesterol among all groups. The FO group had 26% lower kidney α-tocopherol concentrations than the C group. However, inclusion of vitamin E in the diet (FO+E group) increased the kidney α-tocopherol status to a level comparable to that in the C group, whereas inclusion of probucol in fish oil diet (FO+P group) did not improve the kidney α-tocopherol status. Rats fed the cholesterol diet had a 2.5-fold higher glomerular segmental sclerosis (GSS) score and 1.5-fold higher glomerular macrophage (GM) subpopulation than the C group. These effects of the cholesterol diet were ameliorated by a fish oil diet (FO group: GSS by 30%, GM by 24%). The inclusion of vitamin E in the fish oil diet (FO+E group) did not further improve the GSS score or GM subpopulation. However, inclusion of probucol in fish oil diet (FO+P group) lowered the GSS score by 73% and reduced GM subpopulation by 83% compared with the Ch group. These remarkable changes can be attributed to the powerful hypocholesterolemic activity of probucol. Our findings indicate that progression of glomerular sclerosis in the rat remnant kidney model of progressive kidney disease can be significantly modulated with fish oil treatment.

Dietary Advice to Reduce Fat Intake is More Successful When it Does Not Restrict Habitual Eating Patterns

Objective To determine the relative and combined effects of dietary advice to lower fat intake and alter eating frequency on nutrient intake and plasma lipid levels in men with recently diagnosed hyperlipidemia. Design In this 4-week dietary intervention trial, a 7-day food diary was used in the week preceding the intervention and on the third week of the intervention to determine eating frequency. A 7-day dietary history and lipid profile (after subjects had fasted) were taken at baseline and at the end of the 4 weeks of dietary intervention. Subjects Eighty nonobese, free-living men with newly diagnosed primary hypercholesterolemia. Intervention Group 1: fat intake was reduced and eating frequency decreased. Group 2: Fat intake was reduced and eating frequency maintained. Group 3: Fat intake was maintained and eating frequency decreased. Group 4: Fat intake was maintained and eating frequency increased. Main outcome measures Changes in lipid profiles of the subjects and evaluation of subjects's perception of the dietary advice they received. Statistical analyses performed Baseline and intervention values were compared using a paired t test; 2-way analysis of variance was used across treatment groups. Results Dietary advice to lower fat intake significantly lowered total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels; this advice also decreased intake of total fat and saturated fatty acids significantly, but less so in the group asked to restrict eating occasions to 3 per day. Advice to alter eating frequency was found to be difficult to follow. Applications Lipid-lowering dietary advice should be incorporated into the existing eating frequency pattern of each person. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999;99:685–689.

Effects of a low-calorie diet on resting metabolic rate and serum tri-iodothyronine levels in obese children.

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of weight loss on resting metabolic rate (RMR) and on serum T3 levels in obese children and to investigate whether RMR changes are related to T3 changes. Sixty-four healthy, overweight, children (age: 12.1+/-1.1 years, body mass index 29.3+/-4.3 kg/m2) were studied during a 6-week weight reduction programme. RMR (by indirect calorimetry) total T3, total T4, TSH and fat-free mass (FFM) (by anthropometry) were measured at baseline and after 6 weeks of dietary treatment. Weight loss resulted in a 10.1% decline in RMR (P < 0.01) and a 23.4% decrease in serum T3 levels (P < 0.001). RMR was correlated with FFM before (r = 0.78, P < 0.001) and after weight loss (r = 0.76, P < 0.001). The changes in RMR were positively correlated with the changes in FFM (r = 0.48, P < 0.05) but also with the changes in serum T3 levels (r = 0.47, P < 0.05). The initial T3 levels predicted the subsequent fall in T3 that occurred after 6 weeks of dietary treatment (r = -0.60, P < 0.001). A significant decrease in serum T3 concentrations and resting metabolic rate occurred as a result of a 6-week weight reduction programme in an obese child population. The decline in T3 levels combined with fat-free mass loss could be responsible for the reduction in resting metabolic rate.

Folate and homocysteine metabolism in copper-deficient rats

To investigate the effect of copper deficiency on folate and homocysteine metabolism, we measured plasma, red-cell and hepatic folate, plasma homocysteine and vitamin B-12 concentrations, and hepatic methionine synthase activities in rats. Two groups of male Sprague–Dawley rats were fed semi-purified diets containing either 0.1 mg (copper-deficient group) or 9.2 mg (control group) of copper per kg. After 6 weeks of dietary treatment, copper deficiency was established as evidenced by markedly decreased plasma and hepatic copper concentrations in rats fed the low-copper diet. Plasma, red-cell, hepatic folate, and plasma vitamin B-12 concentrations were similar in both groups, whereas plasma homocysteine concentrations in the copper-deficient group were significantly higher than in the control group ( P<0.05). Copper deficiency resulted in a 21% reduction in hepatic methionine synthase activity as compared to the control group ( P<0.01). This change most likely caused the increased hepatic 5-methyltetrahydrofolate and plasma homocysteine concentrations in the copper-deficient group. Our results indicate that hepatic methionine synthase may be a cuproenzyme, and plasma homocysteine concentrations are influenced by copper nutriture in rats. These data support the concept that copper deficiency can be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Inhibition of expression of P-selectin by antioxidant in cholesterol-fed rats.

Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) can inhibit experimental atherosclerosis in animals. Although the agent is an antioxidant, the exact mechanism of the reaction in atherosclerosis is still unknown. To investigate the effects of BHT on expression of P-selectin (PADGEM, GMP-140), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and class II MHC (Ia) antigen, we proposed an experiment on rats. Male rats (n=18 per group) were fed either a normal cholesterol control diet, a normal cholesterol diet containing 0.5% BHT (BD), a high cholesterol diet containing 1.5% cholesterol and 0.1% sodium cholate (CD), or the CD diet containing 0.5% BHT (BCD). Rats were sacrificed after 3 days, and after 1, 2, 4, 10, and 17 weeks of dietary treatment. Although there was no gross or light microscopic atherosclerotic lesions, scanning electron microscopy revealed monocytic adhesion to aortic endothelium and mild endothelial injuries in CD and BCD groups. Immunohistochemically, the addition of BHT to a high cholesterol diet inhibited P-selectin expression but not in ICAM-1 and Ia antigen. These findings suggest that in rats, high cholesterol diets induce expression of ICAM-1, P-selectin and Ia antigen. In addition, the antiatherogenic effect of BHT may play a role in the inhibition of P-selectin.

Implications of the traditional and the new ACSM physical activity recommendations on weight reduction in dietary treated obese subjects.

To assess the acceptance of the traditional American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) exercise recommendation (20-60 min of vigorous exercise at least three times per week) and of the new, broader Centers for Disease Control (CDC)/ACSM physical activity recommendation (30 min of moderate intensity activities on most days of the week) in an obese population and to elucidate the implications of meeting these recommendations on weight reduction during dietary treatment. Prospective dietary intervention study of 1000 kcal diet daily. 109 obese subjects (age: 45.6 +/- 13.1 y, body mass index (BMI): 38.1 +/- 6.0 kg/m2, (Female/Male: 81/19%) The time spent in moderate (3-6 MET, metabolic equivalents) and vigorous (6-10 MET) physical activities was assessed by use of the Stanford-7-Day-Physical-Activity-Recall-Questionnaire, with subsequent allocation of the subjects to one of three physical activity groups: meeting the traditional recommendation (TR), the new recommendation (NR) or neither of both (SED, sedentary subjects). Physical activity level, physical activity energy expenditure, total energy expenditure (based upon the questionnaire) and resting metabolic rate (by standard equation) were estimated at baseline. Body weight was determined at baseline and after a mean of 16.3 weeks of dietary treatment. The new, broader recommendation was met by twice as many of the obese subjects (34%) as was the traditional recommendation (17%). Weight reduction at follow up (-8.2 +/- 6.5 kg, 16.3 +/- 4.3 weeks, mean +/- s.d.) was positively correlated with the physical activity level at baseline (r = 0.49, P < 0.001). Meeting either the traditional or the new recommendation was associated with greater weight loss [-11.9 +/- 8.5 kg (TR) and -10.1 +/- 6.4 kg (NR), respectively, not statistically significant (NS)] as compared to being sedentary [-6.5 +/- 5.2 kg (SED), P < 0.05 vs both NR and TR]. Not only participation in vigorous exercise, but also regular engagement in moderate intensity physical activities, as recently recommended by the CDC/ACSM, predicts greater weight reduction during dietary treatment, compared to being sedentary. The new, broader physical activity recommendation appears to be more readily accepted by obese subjects than the former ACSM recommendation on exercise training.

Effects of Exogenous Recombinant Human Growth Hormone on an Animal Model of Suboptimal Nutrition

Background: Nutritional dwarfing, a form of suboptimal nutrition, has been identified as a frequent cause of short stature and delayed sexual development in children. Retarded growth is an adaptive response to suboptimal nutrition.Objective: To assess whether recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) may promote growth during various levels of suboptimal nutrition.Methods: Using a previously developed rat model of suboptimal nutrition, six groups of rats (six rats/group) were fed a balanced 1:1 carbohydrate:fat ratio diet for 4 weeks. Three of the groups were administered daily injections of rhGH (0.1 mg/100 g BW) subcutaneously in the back while the other three groups were kept as controls and were given similar dosages of normal saline solution (NSS). Restricted rats within each treatment group were pair fed 80 and 60% of the ad-libitum rats intake. Daily intake of the 80 and 60% fed groups were determined based on the intake of the ad-libitum fed groups. Serum IGF-I and insulin were determined after 4 weeks of dietary treatment by radioimmunoassay while IGFBP-3 was determined by an immunoradiometric assay. Body composition was assessed in all rats by carcass analysis.Results: After 4 weeks, total weight gain and tail growth were higher (p<0.05) in the rhGH treated group at 80 and 60% of-libitum energy intake. Serum levels of IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were higher (p<0.05) in rhGH treated rats fed at 60% of ad-libitum. In comparison to the NSS groups, administration of rhGH in rats fed ad-libitum increased total body water. Energy restriction caused decreased fat percentage (p<0.05) in both rhGH and NSS groups without differences among treated groups.Conclusion: These results suggest that the anabolic effects of rhGH may overcome mild to moderate energy restriction.

The Effect of Dietary Menhaden Fish Oil on α-Tocopherol Status in Rodents is Both Concentration and Tissue Dependent

This study was designed to measure the dose and time dependent effect of menhaden fish oil (MFO) on immune cell α-tocopherol in the rat. The level of dietary fat and α-tocopherol (equalized in amount and chemical form) were constant across all experimental groups with increasing percentages of lard replaced with MFO. As the proportion of fish oil in the diet increased, plasma α-tocopherol decreased. Splenocyte α-tocopherol increased significantly with time with rats fed 4.5% MFO for 2 week having significantly higher α-tocopherol than rats on all other diets ( P < 0.05). Plasma arachidonic acid (AA) decreased and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) increased as the percentage fish oil in the diet increased. Splenocyte fatty acid composition was significantly altered by diet, with inclusion of as little as 4.5% MFO sufficient to decrease AA from 25% to 12% of total fatty acids ( P < 0.001) and increase EPA from 1% to 4% of the total fatty acids ( P < 0.001). Additional MFO significantly increased splenocyte EPA and DHA to approximately 7% and 5% of the total fatty acids, respectively, without any further decline in splenocyte AA. Changes in splenocyte fatty acid composition occurred rapidly with approximately 85% of the total change occurring within the first week of dietary treatment. The rapid and dose dependent enrichment of immune cells with (n-3) fatty acids may compromise the antioxidant status of these cells. However, at the lowest level of dietary fish oil tested (4.5%), immune cells appeared to compensate for the higher (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid content with a significant accumulation of α-tocopherol. That changes in fatty acid composition preceded changes in vitamin E status of the immune cell suggests that the former affects the latter.

Alterations in cardiac cytochrome C oxidase, but not in laminin and fibronectin, are observed within three weeks of copper restriction in rats: Implications for cardiac hypertrophy

Weekly cardiac laminin, fibronectin, and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO) levels and cardiac hypertrophy were assessed over a period of five weeks in male Long Evans rats fed copper restricted (< 15.8 μmol/kg diet, n = 15) or copper adequate diets (94.5 μmol/kg diet, n = 15). Copper restricted rats displayed significantly lower liver copper and ceruloplasmin activity by the first week and lower hematocrit by the third week of dietary treatment. Cardiac hypertrophy was observed after three weeks of copper restriction as evidenced by greater heart:body weigh ratiot. SDS-PAGE analysis of cardiac laminin and fibronectin did not reveal any changes between copper restricted and copper adequate rats at any time period during this study. Western blots of cardiac CCO from copper restricted rats displayed significantly lower amounts of nuclear encoded peptide subunits after three weeks of dietary treatment than control rats. The decrease in the nuclear encoded subunits of CCO coincided with the appearance of cardiac hypertrophy and other signs of copper deficiency.

The relationship between altered membrane composition, eicosanoids and TNF-induced IL1 and IL6 production in macrophages of rats fed fats of different unsaturated fatty acid composition.

The study investigated the changes in individual molecular species in PE and the effects of a variety of dietary fats with varying proportions of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids on membrane composition, eicosanoid production and cytokine production in thioglycollate-elicited rat macrophages. The data obtained indicates that the greatest degree of modulation by dietary fats on cytokine production was observed after 8 weeks feeding and at this time, the total diacyl species containing linoleic acid (18:2 n-6) and arachidonic acid (20:4 n-6) at the sn-2 position related in a curvilinear fashion to total 18:2 n-6 intake and that IL1 and IL6 production related in a curvilinear fashion to the total diacyl species with 20:4 and 18:2 at the sn-2 position. After 4 weeks of feeding, fish and olive oils enhanced production of IL6 and LTB4, however, while IL1 production, after 8 weeks of dietary treatment, was greatest from macrophages of animals fed corn and olive oils, PGE2 production was greatest in the former group and LTB4 production in the latter. Thus an eicosanoid effect may explain the modulatory influence of olive oil and IL1 production but, cannot explain the effect of corn oil on production of the cytokine. The data from the present study provides some insight into how dietary fats could provide therapy for conditions in which inflammatory cytokines are implicated.