Weeks Of Dietary Supplementation Research Articles

Influence of the Degree of Unsaturation in Fish Oil Supplements on Oxidative Stress and Protein Carbonylation in the Cerebral Cortex and Cerebellum of Healthy Rats.

ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are crucial for brain structure and function, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). However, an excess of DHA may increase lipid peroxidation due to its high degree of unsaturation, particularly in tissues highly susceptible to oxidative stress, such as the brain. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of 10 weeks of dietary supplementation with fish oil containing 80% DHA on oxidative stress and the modulation of the carbonylated proteome in both the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of male Sprague Dawley rats. The results were compared with those induced by oils with a lower degree of fat unsaturation (fish oil containing 25% DHA and 25% eicosapentaenoic acid, soybean oil containing 50% linoleic acid and coconut oil containing 90% saturated fat). The results demonstrated that fish oil containing 80% DHA significantly increased the ω3/ω6 ratio in both the cortex and cerebellum while stimulating antioxidant defense by enhancing the reduced glutathione amount and decreasing the carbonylation of specific proteins, mainly those involved in glycolysis and neurotransmission. The majority of sensitive proteins in both brain regions followed this carbonylation trend (in decreasing order): soybean > EPA/DHA 1:1 > coconut > 80% DHA. The results also indicated that the cerebellum is more responsive than the cortex to changes in the cellular redox environment induced by varying degrees of fat unsaturation. In conclusion, under healthy conditions, dietary supplementation with fish oils containing high DHA levels makes the brain more resilient to potential oxidative insults compared to oils with lower DHA content and a lower degree of fatty acid unsaturation.

Effect of Coenzyme Q10 on Physical Performance in Older Adults with Statin-Associated Asthenia: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial.

Background: Available evidence from randomized clinical trials is contrasting and definitely inconclusive in determining whether or not CoQ10 dietary supplementation is advisable in patients with statin intolerance or poor statin tolerability. Methods: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study aimed at investigating the effect of chronic dietary supplementation with coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) phytosome on physical performance in older adults with a ≥3-month history of statin-associated asthenia. The study's participants were randomized to either a placebo or 300 mg daily CoQ10 phytosome (equivalent to 60 mg CoQ10; Ubiqsome®, Indena SpA, Milan, Italy). Asthenia, handgrip strength (HGs), 2-min step test (2MST), and 1-min sit-to-stand (STS) repetitions were assessed at baseline and at 8-week follow-up. Results: After the first 4 weeks of dietary supplementation, individuals taking CoQ10 phytosome showed a greater improvement in asthenia compared to the placebo group (p < 0.05). Even more significantly, at 8-week follow-up, participants receiving CoQ10 showed substantial improvements in asthenia (-30.0 ± 20.0%), HGS (+29.8 ± 3.6%), 2MST (+11.1 ± 1.8%), and 1-min STS repetitions (+36.4 ± 3.9%) compared to both baseline and placebo (p < 0.05). Conclusions: According to our findings, chronic dietary supplementation with CoQ10 phytosome significantly enhances physical performance in older adults with statin-associated asthenia. This could have relevant implications for improving the compliance of older adults with statin treatment.

Long-Term Supplementation of Royal Jelly (Raydel®) Improves Zebrafish Growth, Embryo Production and Survivability, Blood Lipid Profile and Functionality of Vital Organs: A 72-Weeks' Consumption Study.

Royal jelly is a honeybee product with substantial pharmacological and health promotional activities. Nevertheless, the health implications associated with the prolonged dietary supplementation of royal jelly have yet to be elucidated extensively. Herein, 72 weeks of dietary supplementation of royal jelly at 5% and 10% (w/w) were investigated to assess the impact on zebrafish survivability, body weight, liver, testis, ovary functionality, and blood lipid profile. The results revealed no adverse effect of 72 weeks of royal jelly supplementation on zebrafish survivability. Conversely, a noteworthy enhancement in the zebrafish body weight was observed in royal-jelly-supplemented zebrafish in a concentration-dependent manner [5% and 10% (w/w)]. Interestingly, female zebrafish were found to be more biased, with a significant 17% (p < 0.001) and 23% (p < 0.001) higher body weight enhancement after 72 weeks of consumption of 5% and 10% (w/w) royal jelly, compared to the male zebrafish. The histological outcome revealed no sign of hepatotoxicity; moreover, diminished reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis were observed in the hepatic tissue of the royal-jelly-supplemented group. Consistent with the histological outcomes, the liver function biomarkers, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), exhibited a significant decrease of 1.9-fold (p = 0.006) and 1.4-fold (p = 0.003) in zebrafish supplemented with royal jelly compared to those on a normal diet (ND) and zebrafish given supplements. Also, no sign of ovary and testis-related toxicity was observed in the royal-jelly-supplemented group during the 72-week period. Furthermore, the 10% (w/w) royal-jelly-consuming zebrafish exhibited a notable 2.1-fold increase (p = 0.018) in egg-laying ability compared to the ND-supplemented zebrafish. The 10% (w/w) royal jelly supplementation also effectively maintained the blood lipid profile by curtailing serum triglycerides (TG) and elevating high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Conclusively, royal jelly dietary supplementation for a prolonged time found royal jelly to be safe to consume, to efficiently improve hepatic function, reproduction, and sexual health, and to augment the serum HDL-C level.

EFFECT OF COENZYME Q10 ON MUSCULAR STRENGTH IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH STATIN-ASSOCIATED ASTHENIA: A DOUBLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL

Objective: Statin treatment has been associated with decreased serum level of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study aimed to investigate the effect of chronic dietary supplementation with CoQ10 phytosome on muscular strength in elderly patients with statin-associated asthenia. Design and method: Participants were randomized to receive daily either 2 indistinguishable pills of placebo or 150 mg CoQ10 phytosome (i.e. 300 mg CoQ10 phytosome per day, equivalent to 60 mg CoQ10; Ubiqsome®). Asthenia and handgrip strength (HGs), 1-minute sit-to-stand (STS) repetitions and 2-minute steps (2MST) were performed at baseline and at 8-week follow-up. Results: All enrolled patients successfully completed the trial. After the first 4 weeks of dietary supplementation, CoQ10 phytosome supplementation correlates with more significant improvement in asthenia compared placebo (p&lt; 0.05). At 8-week follow-up, patients undergoing CoQ10 dietary supplementation experienced significant improvements in asthenia (-30.0±20.0%), HGs (+29.8±3.6%), 1-min STS repetitions (+36.4±3.9%), and 2MST (11.1±1.8%) (p &lt;0.05 versus baseline and versus placebo). Conclusions: According to the present observations, chronic dietary supplementation with CoQ10 phytosome is able to effectively improve muscular strength in elderly patients with statin-associated asthenia.

Effects of Gynura procumbens leaf-based meal on glucose level, lipid profile and mineral content of alloxan-induced diabetic mice

Gynura procumbens leaves are used as an anti-diabetic medicinal plant in Southeast Asia. A 28-day feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of Gynura procumbens (GP) leaf meal on growth performance, glucose level, lipid profile and mineral content in alloxan-induced diabetic mice. A total of thirty-six mice at 14 days old were assigned to four treatment groups: NC (Normal Control), T0 = Control (Basal diet), T1 = (Basal diet + 0.5% Dry leaf on DM basis), T2 = (Basal diet + 1.0% Dry leaf on DM basis) having three replications consisting of nine mice in each in a completely randomized design. The results showed that glucose level was significantly (P&lt;0.01) reduced during the last 3 weeks compared to control of alloxan-induced mice. Three weeks of dietary supplementation of GP leaf at 0.5% and 1.0% levels significantly (P&lt;0.05) increased body weight during the second and the third week whereas decreased, feed intake and water intake of alloxan-induced diabetic mice. A significant reduction of cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), low density lipoproteins (LDL) while increased high density lipoproteins (HDL) of induced mice compared to control (P&lt;0.001). There were no significant variations in blood phosphorus, Ca and total protein. Moreover, in the proximate CHO, crude protein, crude fat increased while ash, moisture, crude fibre decreased in treatment groups compared to the basal diet. Overall, GP leaf showed trustworthy results on anti-diabetic effects included lipid profile.

Alginate oligosaccharides increase boar semen quality by affecting gut microbiota and metabolites in blood and sperm.

Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), natural polymers from brown seaweeds (such as Laminaria japonica, Undaria pinnatifida, and Sargassum fusiforme), have been reported to possess many beneficial advantages for health. In the current study, after 9 weeks of dietary supplementation, AOS 10 mg/kg group (AOS 10) group increased boar sperm motility from 87.8% to 93.5%, p < 0.05. Moreover, AOS10 increased the relative abundances of Bifidobacterium, Coprococcus, Butyricicoccus (1.3–2.3-fold; p < 0.05) to increase the beneficial blood and sperm metabolites (1.2–1.6-fold; p < 0.05), and important sperm proteins such as gelsolin, Zn-alpha2 glycoprotein, Cation Channel Sperm-Associated Protein, outer dense fiber of sperm tails, etc. (1.5–2.2-fold; p < 0.05). AOS had a long-term beneficial advantage on boar semen quality by the increase in semen volume (175 vs. 160 ml/ejaculation, p < 0.05). AOS may be used as dietary additives for improving semen quality.

Cocoa And Cocoa Polyphenol Fractions Fails To Improve Colitis In Dextran Sulfate Sodium‐Treated Mice

Cocoa and cocoa polyphenols have been shown to have anti‐inflammatory effects in the context of obesity and cardiometabolic disease in both animal models and human, however the anti‐inflammatory effects have not been well‐studied in models of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to compare the anti‐inflammatory effects of cocoa and cocoa polyphenol fractions in the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐induced mouse model of colitis. We hypothesized that cocoa and cocoa polyphenols would exert anti‐inflammatory effects in this model. Male mice were treated with defatted cocoa powder (8%) or the equivalent dose of solvent extractable polyphenols or non‐extractable materials. After 2 weeks of dietary supplementation, mice were given 2.5% DSS as the sole source of drinking water for 1 week prior to euthanasia. Treatment with cocoa or cocoa fractions had no significant effect on spleen weight or colon length, both gross markers of inflammation. DSS treatment increased mRNA expression of interleukin (IL)‐ 6, ‐10, ‐1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐ α; no significant difference in the expression of these markers was observed between the cocoa supplementation groups and the DSS controls. In summary, cocoa and cocoa polyphenols do not exert an anti‐inflammatory effect in the DSS‐induced mouse model colitis and may not be effective against IBD.

Dietary supplementation with a specific mannan-rich yeast parietal fraction enhances the gut and skin mucosal barriers of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and reduces its susceptibility to sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis)

BackgroundIncreasing reliance on non-medicinal interventions to control sea lice in the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) farming industry imposes a high level of skin mucosal disturbance and indirect health issues. Dietary supplementation with yeast-based MOS products is widely used to support intestinal homeostasis across farmed species. Evidence of their effect on skin mucosa is increasing in aquatic species but it remains inconsistent and someway short of a clear contribution to sea lice management. A tank-based trial was performed to test the effect of a yeast-based MOS functional compound (sMOS) on the skin mucosal layer and its protective effects against sea lice (Lepeophtheirus salmonis). ResultsThe test compound significantly increased skin mucus (+46%) and goblet cell density (+25%) after 6 weeks of dietary supplementation when positive effects on intestinal villi-length (+10.9%) and goblet cell density (+80.0%) were also documented. Following dietary supplementation, a 16.6% reduction in susceptibility to an acute standard copepodid challenge was measured alongside an earlier increase in skin lysozyme activity widely used as an index of innate immunity. ConclusionThe study provides functional evidence that the benefits of dietary sMOS reach beyond the intestine to the skin mucosa. Bolstering of the Atlantic salmon skin barrier and immune functions and the resulting lower susceptibility to sea lice has the potential to reduce the need for delousing interventions and the impact of non-medicinal interventions on the animal's health and welfare.

Chemopreventive effects of nanoparticle curcumin in a mouse model of Pten-deficient prostate cancer.

The present study investigated the antitumor activity and chemopreventive effects of a nanoparticle formulation of curcumin in preclinical models of mousePten-deficientprostate cancer. The antitumor activity of the nanoparticle curcumin was evaluated in mouse castration-naïve (7113-D3) and castration-resistant prostate cancer (2945-E10) derived cell lines in vitro. Cell viability was reduced in both cell lines in a dose and time-dependent manner. The effects of long-term dietary supplementation with the nanoparticle curcumin formulation were evaluated in a conditional Pten-deficient mouse model. Prostate tissues from Pten-deficient prostate cancers were obtained after sixteen weeks of dietary supplementation of 76mg/kg/day or 380mg/kg/day nanoparticle curcumin. Daily supplementation of nanoparticle curcumin did not affect mouse bodyweights or spleen size but did result in enlargement of the liver. Dietary supplementation did not influence tumor burden, however, mice fed high-dose curcumin had lower cancer cell proliferation rates at 12 and 16weeks of age. Together, these results show that daily supplementation of a nanoparticle formulation of curcumin is tolerable and suggest that curcumin could have chemopreventive activity in early-stage prostate cancer.

Dietary Quercetin Ameliorates Memory Impairment in a Murine Model of Alzheimer’s Disease with Obesity and Diabetes, Suppressing ATF4 Expression

Background: While type 2 diabetes is a known risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), the underlying mechanism of this relationship remains unclear. In a previous study, we demonstrated that brain expression of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) is increased in aged (12- month-old) amyloid-β precursor protein (APP) 23 mice (APP) and in the young (3-month-old) offspring of APP mice crossed with obese and diabetic db/db mice (APP;db/db). On this premise, we examined the relationship between ATF4 expression and memory in APP;db/db mice. Methods and Findings: We demonstrate that ATF4 expression at 6-9 months of age was higher in the brains of APP;db/db mice than that in the brains of non-obese APP mice. Both APP and APP;db/db mice learned to discriminate contextual and auditory cues in contextual and auditory fear conditioning. However, novel object recognition (NOR) memory was impaired in APP;db/db mice, but was unaffected in APP mice. Five weeks of dietary supplementation with quercetin, which is a polyhydroxylated flavonoid, ameliorated NOR memory deficits in APP;db/db mice in association with suppressed ATF4 expression in the brain. Conclusion: These results indicate that dietary quercetin suppresses the obesity-induced ATF4 expression in the brain. Therefore, control of the integrated stress response (ISR) with biologically active compounds that reduce ATF4, such as quercetin, may be valuable for the treatment of memory impairments in early-stage AD, and particularly in cases with comorbid obesity and/or diabetes.

Drug Seeking Behavior of Amphetamine Addicted Sprague-Dawley Rats Is Eliminated after Nutritional Supplementation

Aim: The effectiveness of nutritional supplementation on drug-seeking behavior of amphetamine-addicted rats during withdrawal was investigated using a biased conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Method: Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats exhibiting baseline preference for the black chamber during a 20-minute pre-conditioning exploration of the CPP box completed the study. On alternate days of an 8-day schedule, twelve rats (Group AMP) were randomly selected, given either amphetamine sulfate (5 mg/ml, i.p.) and confined to the white chamber; or vehicle (1 ml saline, i.p.) and confined to the black chamber. A significant increased percentage time spent and number of entries made by Group AMP to the drug-paired, white chamber on the test day confirmed amphetamine addiction. Group AMP subsequently received increasing doses of amphetamine over 6 days. Following acute drug withdrawal, their CPP performance was compared with that of vehicle treated rats (Group SAL). Groups AMP and SAL were equally divided and randomly assigned to animals fed chow reconstituted with the nutritional supplement (AMP-S and SAL-S) over 8 weeks or standard rat chow (AMP-N and SAL-N). CPP performances for all rats were determined blindly from video recordings following this period. Results: Nutritionally supplemented, amphetamine withdrawn rats (AMP-S) exhibited significantly decreased percentage entries and time spent in the white chamber (p < 0.05), indicating preference for the black chamber and diminished drug-seeking behavior. ANOVA revealed that after 8 weeks of dietary supplementation, AMP-S rats behaved like drug-na?ve, control animals. Conclusion: Drug-seeking behavior by amphetamine-addicted animals was eliminated after treatment with a nutritionally supplemented diet.

Influence of equol and resveratrol supplementation on health-related quality of life in menopausal women: A randomized, placebo-controlled study

ObjectiveThis study was designed to evaluate the effects of equol and resveratrol supplementation on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in otherwise healthy menopausal women with hot flashes, anxiety and depressive symptoms. MethodsSixty recently menopausal women aged 50–55 years were randomized in a 12-week, placebo-controlled trial to receive 200mg of fermented soy containing 10mg of equol and 25mg of resveratrol (1 tablet/day). The primary outcome was the change in score on the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), used to evaluate the severity of age-/menopause-related complaints. Additional outcome measures included the subject-reported score on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and Nottingham Health Profile (NHP), which was used specifically to assess sleep quality. ResultsThe symptoms assessed by the MRS improved during treatment in the active group. Comparison between placebo and treatment groups revealed statistically significant improvement in particular for dryness of vagina (−85.7%) (p<0.001), heart discomfort (−78.8%; p<0.001) and sexual problems (−73.3%; p<0.001). On the HAM-D significant improvements at week 12 were seen in work and activities (−94.1%) (p<0.001). Subjects treated with equol and resveratrol also had significant differences in the sleep domain of the NHP (p<0.001). ConclusionThese findings provide evidence that 12 weeks of dietary supplementation with equol and resveratrol may improve menopause-related quality of life in healthy women.

Metabolomics Reveals that Momordica charantia Attenuates Metabolic Changes in Experimental Obesity.

Momordica charantia L., also known as bitter melon, has been shown to ameliorate obesity and insulin resistance. However, metabolic changes regulated by M. charantia in obesity are not clearly understood. In this study, serums obtained from obese and M. charantia-treated mice were analyzed by using gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and multivariate statistical analysis was performed by Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. The results from this study indicated that body weight fat and insulin levels of obese mice are dramatically suppressed by 8 weeks of dietary supplementation of M. charantia. Metabolomic data revealed that overproductions of energy and nutrient metabolism in obese mice were restored by M. charantia treatment. The antiinflammatory and inhibition of insulin resistance effect of M. charantia in obesity was illustrated with the restoration of free fatty acids and eicosanoids. The findings achieved in this study further strengthen the therapeutic value of using M. charantia to treat obesity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dietary astaxanthin supplementation attenuates disuse-induced muscle atrophy and myonuclear apoptosis in the rat soleus muscle.

Extended periods of skeletal muscle disuse results in muscle atrophy and weakness. Currently, no therapeutic treatment is available for the prevention of this problem. Nonetheless, growing evidence suggests that prevention of disuse-induced oxidative stress in inactive muscle fibers can delay inactivity-induced muscle wasting. Therefore, this study tested the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with the antioxidant astaxanthin would protect against disuse muscle atrophy, in part, by prevention of myonuclear apoptosis. Wistar rats (8 weeks old) were divided into control (CT, n=9), hindlimb unloading (HU, n=9), and hindlimb unloading with astaxanthin (HU+AX, n=9) groups. Following 2weeks of dietary supplementation, rats in the HU and HU+AX groups were exposed to unloading for 7days. Seven-day unloading resulted in reduced soleus muscle weight and myofiber cross-sectional area (CSA) by~30 and~47%, respectively. Nonetheless, relative muscle weights and CSA of the soleus muscle in the HU+AX group were significantly greater than those of the HU group. Moreover, astaxanthin prevented disuse-induced increase in the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive nuclei. We conclude that astaxanthin supplementation prior to and during hindlimb unloading attenuates soleus muscle atrophy, in part, by suppressing myonuclear apoptosis.

Effects of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa) consumption on fecal microbiome of obese diabetic (db/db) mice

Quinoa, a gluten‐free pseudocereal native from the Andes, is known for its high nutritional value. Our aim was to investigate the effect of quinoa consumption on fecal microbial ecology of db/db mice.The db/db mice were fed AIN‐93G diet (obese) or AIN‐93 supplemented with quinoa (quinoa) for eight weeks. Lean counterpart controls were fed with AIN‐93G diet (lean). Fecal bacterial communities were analyzed using gene sequencing of 16S rRNA. Data was analyzed with Quantitative Insights into Microbial Ecology (QIIME) v.1.8.0. Predicted metabolic profiles were analyzed with the online Galaxy version of PICRUSt. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in cecal contents were analyzed with high performance liquid chromatography.Results showed that quinoa consumption induced significant differences in bacterial abundances. Quinoa group showed lean‐like abundances in Enterococcus, Turicibacter, and Akkermansia. The later has been negatively correlated with body weight. Interestedly, quinoa consumption delayed body weight gain during the first five weeks of dietary supplementation. Analysis of weighted UniFrac distances revealed a distinctive clustering of lean microbial communities from obese and quinoa groups (ANOSIM, P &lt; 0.01). Contrasting with these results; the weighed analysis showed that quinoa group clustered separately from obese and lean. Out of the predicted metabolic functions, most significant differences were found in lean compared to obese and quinoa groups. Quinoa consumption was associated with lower cecal butyrate and succinic acid concentrations.These findings strongly indicate the complex interactions between diet, genetics, and gut microbial ecology, however further studies are needed to explore the clinical relevance of such interactions.Support or Funding InformationNew Faculty Seed Grant (# 3057‐9907)

Dietary supplementation with the polyphenol-rich açaí pulps (Euterpe oleracea Mart. and Euterpe precatoria Mart.) improves cognition in aged rats and attenuates inflammatory signaling in BV-2 microglial cells

Objectives: The present study was carried out to determine if lyophilized açaí fruit pulp (genus, Euterpe), rich in polyphenols and other bioactive antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals, is efficacious in reversing age-related cognitive deficits in aged rats.Methods: The diets of 19-month-old Fischer 344 rats were supplemented for 8 weeks with 2% Euterpe oleracea (EO), Euterpe precatoria (EP), or a control diet. Rats were tested in the Morris water maze and then blood serum from the rats was used to assess inflammatory responses of BV-2 microglial cells.Results: After 8 weeks of dietary supplementation with 2% EO or EP, rats demonstrated improved working memory in the Morris water maze, relative to controls; however, only the EO diet improved reference memory. BV-2 microglial cells treated with blood serum collected from EO-fed rats produced less nitric oxide (NO) than control-fed rats. Serum from both EO- and EP-fed rats reduced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). There is a relationship between performance in the water maze and the production of NO and TNF-α by serum-treated BV-2 cells, such that serum from rats with better performance was more protective against inflammatory signaling.Discussion: Protection of memory during aging by supplementation of lyophilized açaí fruit pulp added to the diet may result from its ability to influence antioxidant and anti-inflammatory signaling.

Effect of oil palm phenolics on gastrointestinal transit, contractility and motility in the rat

The effects of a novel water soluble polyphenolics preparation (oil palm phenolics; OPP) on whole gastrointestinal transit, ex vivo proximal and distal colonic contractility and intact expulsion time in the distal colon were examined. Nine weeks of dietary supplementation with OPP at 50 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/rat per day had no effect on gastric emptying compared to the control (AIN-93M), but 30% substituted high amylose maize starch (HAMS) used as a positive resistant starch control, had significantly higher gastric emptying compared to both control and OPP. OPP increased distal colonic contractile response to KCl, PGE2 and angiotensin I compared with the control, whilst HAMS also had similar increased contractile responses. This correlated with faster distal colonic expulsion rates for OPP and HAMS compared with the control. The present study revealed that OPP, like resistant starch, has positive effects on distal colonic contractility and motility with potential putative roles in bowel function and health.

Dietary lactosucrose suppresses influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in mice.

This study examined the effects of lactosucrose (4G-β-D-galactosylsucrose) on influenza A virus infections in mice. First, the effects of lactosucrose on fermentation in the cecum and on immune function were investigated. In female BALB/c mice, lactosucrose supplementation for 6 weeks promoted cecal fermentation and increased both secretory IgA (SIgA) levels in feces and total IgA and IgG2a concentrations in serum. Both the percentage of CD4+ T cells in Peyer’s patches and the cytotoxic activity of splenic natural killer (NK) cells increased significantly in response to lactosucrose. Next, we examined the effects of lactosucrose on low-dose influenza A virus infection in mice. After 2 weeks of dietary supplementation with lactosucrose, the mice were infected with low-dose influenza A virus. At 7 days post infection, a comparison with control mice showed that weight loss was suppressed, as were viral titers in the lungs. In the spleens of lactosucrose-fed mice, there was an increase in the percentage of NK cells. Lastly, mice fed lactosucrose were challenged with a lethal dose of influenza A virus. The survival rate of these mice was significantly higher than that of mice fed a control diet. These results suggested that lactosucrose supplementation suppresses influenza A virus infection by augmenting innate immune responses and enhancing cellular and mucosal immunity.

Astaxanthin supplementation effects on adipocyte size and lipid profile in OLETF rats with hyperphagia and visceral fat accumulation

The effects of astaxanthin supplementation on visceral adipose tissue and lipid profile in an Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rat model of hyperphagia and visceral fat accumulation was investigated. At 25 weeks of age, OLETF rats were assigned randomly to an obese control (OC, n = 6) or an astaxanthin supplementation (AX, n = 6) group. Long Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) rats were assigned to a lean control (LT, n = 6) group. The AX group was subjected to 6 weeks of dietary supplementation with 0.2% astaxanthin (2 g/kg diet powder chow food) ad libitum. After the 6-week experimental period, astaxanthin supplementation in obese rats promoted size reduction of visceral adipocytes, with a remarkable decrease in FFA and a significant increase in blood HDL-c concentrations. These results suggest that astaxanthin can at least partially ameliorate lipid profile and adipocyte abnormalities associated with obesity.

Effects of blueberry vs. carrot juice supplementation on muscle strength and performance of psychomotor tasks in older persons

Maintaining functional mobility is critical for preserving quality of life in old age. Previous studies suggest an age‐associated reduced ability to mount an adequate antioxidant response to protect muscle and neural cells against reactive oxygen species (ROS). Research in humans is limited regarding antioxidant status/supplementation and motor, psychomotor, and cognitive function with aging, though studies in rats suggest that blueberries, which are high in antioxidant activity, are most successful in mitigating age‐associated deficits in psychomotor tasks. The purpose of this study was to test whether persons over 60 yr (n = 12; mean age=65.7±3.4 yr) benefited from 6 weeks of dietary supplementation of 2 cups per day of blueberries or 12 ounces per day of carrot juice. Paired sample t‐tests indicated a 12% increase in self‐selected walking speed; a 72% decrease in step errors during a challenging walking task; a 15% increase in walking speed during a dual‐task walking/talking test; and a 12.8% improvement in reaction time with blueberry supplementation (p&lt;0.05). No similar improvements were found with carrot juice. These results are consistent with previous findings that blueberries have high antioxidant potential and possibly key compounds such as anthocyanins that carrots do not, and suggest that properties of blueberries may be beneficial for older persons in preserving motor and psychomotor function.