Journal of nutritional science and vitaminology最新文献

The research assessed calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) metabolism and microinflammation in malnourished uremic patients, focusing on the severity of vascular calcification, and examined the relationship between Ca and P metabolism indicators and microinflammation and the severity of vascular calcification. Seventy-eight patients undergoing hemodialysis treatment for ≥6 mo were collected. General information and anthropometric and blood biochemical indices were recorded, including gender, age, body mass index, mid-arm muscle circumference, albumin, intact parathyroid hormone, and Ca and P product (Ca×P). The severity of vascular calcification was graded. The correlation between the severity of vascular calcification in patients and each of the clinical indicators was analyzed. The diagnostic value of Ca and P metabolism and microinflammatory factors for vascular calcification in malnourished uremic patients was assessed. All enrolled patients were divided into a non-vascular calcification group (n=42) and a vascular calcification group (n=36) according to coronary artery calcification (CAC) scoring, and the probability of vascular calcification was 46%. The dialysis duration, Ca×P, P, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels were significantly higher in the vascular calcification group than in the non-vascular calcification group. hs-CRP, IL-6, Ca×P, and P had predictive potency for vascular calcification in patients. CAC scores were correlated positively with hs-CRP, IL-6, Ca×P, and P. Malnourished uremic patients have a higher incidence of vascular calcification. hs-CRP, IL-6, Ca×P, and P are all independent risk factors for vascular calcification in uremic patients, and are positively correlated with the severity of vascular calcification.

Human body temperature homeostasis is regulated by both behavioral and autonomic thermoregulation. The transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) channel, a cold receptor, plays a critical role in cold perception and thermoregulation. Menthol, which activates TRPM8, has been shown to promote the "browning" of white adipocytes, enhancing thermogenesis. However, its effect on autonomic thermoregulation has remained unclear. To address this, the present study examines the influence of dietary menthol intake on autonomic thermoregulation in mice, with a focus on body temperature regulation under cold conditions. In this experiment, mice were fed diets containing 0.25% and 0.5% menthol for either 2 or 4 wk. The results indicated that the 0.5% menthol diet significantly reduced food intake, body weight, and visceral fat. In contrast, the 0.25% menthol diet showed no significant impact on these factors. Notably, mice treated with the 0.25% menthol diet for 4 wk suppressed the decrease in rectal and interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) temperatures in a cold environment under anesthesia. Additionally, TRPM8 gene expression in IBAT was upregulated after 4 wk of 0.25% menthol diet consumption. These findings suggest that dietary menthol, especially at low concentrations, improves autonomic thermoregulation by activating TRPM8 without significantly affecting food intake or body weight.

Calcium and vitamin D have been suggested to be associated with the amelioration of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). However, evidence for an association between the dietary intake of these nutrients and PMS is limited and inconsistent. We examined the cross-sectional association of calcium and vitamin D intake with PMS. Participants were 390 women aged 22-49 y who responded to a mail survey in 2022-2023. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated self-administered diet history questionnaire. PMS were assessed using the Premenstrual Symptoms Questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate odds ratios of PMS according to tertiles of calcium and vitamin D intake with adjustment for potential confounding variables. The prevalence of moderate to severe PMS was 10% (39 women). Neither calcium nor vitamin D intake was significantly associated with PMS. However, calcium intake was associated with a decreased prevalence of PMS, albeit without statistical significance, with multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) for PMS in the lowest through highest tertiles of calcium intake of 1.00 (reference), 0.47 (0.18-1.25), and 0.27 (0.07-1.08), respectively (p for trend=0.06). The odds ratio of PMS was low in the highest tertile of vitamin D intake compared with the lowest, but without statistical significance (odds ratio 0.56, 95% CI 0.19-1.66). Our findings suggest that calcium and vitamin D intake was not appreciably associated with PMS. The suggestive inverse association between calcium intake and PMS requires further investigation.

Hypocarnitinemia is thought to exacerbate heart failure by impairing mitochondrial function and increasing oxidative stress. While some studies suggest that elevated acylcarnitine levels are linked to cardiovascular events, limited data are available on the relationship between free carnitine levels and clinical outcomes in heart failure patients. This study aimed to investigate the association between free carnitine levels and clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized for heart failure. This retrospective study included 271 consecutive patients admitted to our hospital for their first episode of acute heart failure. Patients were divided into four quartiles based on free carnitine levels (quartile 1: <37.0 μmol/L, n=69; quartile 2: 37.0-49.7 μmol/L, n=68; quartile 3: 49.7-58.9 μmol/L, n=67; quartile 4: ≥58.9 μmol/L, n=67). The primary endpoints were 1-y cardiac mortality, rehospitalization due to heart failure, and its composite endpoint. The incidence of cardiovascular events was compared among the quartiles. Creatinine levels were significantly higher in quartile 4 than in other groups. There were no significant differences in age or BNP among the four groups. Additionally, the 1-y mortality rate was significantly higher in both quartile 1 and quartile 4, while the rehospitalization rate for heart failure within 1 y post-discharge was significantly higher in quartile 4. In summary, the relationship between free carnitine levels and mortality in heart failure patients showed a J-curve pattern, with both low and high levels associated with worse outcomes. Thus, extreme free carnitine levels may serve as potential risk factors for adverse clinical outcomes in this population.

Pterostilbene, a polyphenolic compound and an analog of resveratrol, exerts various biological activities and has higher bioavailability and metabolic stability than resveratrol. However, the effectiveness of pterostilbene intake in humans, particularly its effect on blood microRNA (miRNA) expression levels, has not been evaluated. Accordingly, this pilot study aimed to investigate the effects of pterostilbene on blood biochemistry and blood miRNA expression levels and the safety of continuous intake at doses of 10 or 100 mg/d over 12 wk. A double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel-arm comparison trial was conducted with 30 healthy men. In the analysis of blood miRNA expression levels, miR-34a and miR-193b showed very high increases at week 4 and after week 4 of intake, respectively, suggesting that the responders might be present among participants in the pterostilbene intake group. No adverse events were reported during the trial in any participant, and no abnormalities were observed upon examination by the responsible physician. Thus, pterostilbene intake would regulate blood miRNA expression levels, and the results can be utilized in human studies investigating miRNA expression levels with functional food ingredients.

The gut microbiota has been implicated in the modulation of food allergies. Building on previous studies on the preventive effects of combining short-chain fructan 1-kestose (Kes) and long-chain fructan inulin (Inu) in food allergies, we investigated their therapeutic effects in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced food allergy mouse model. Following OVA sensitization, the mice received 5% Kes and Inu, either individually or a combined 2.5% dose of each, for 4 wk. We assessed allergy-related markers, such as OVA-specific serum IgE (OVA-sIgE) levels, in the blood and monitored changes in the gut microbiome. The intake of fructans ameliorated allergic symptoms and stabilized rectal temperatures, with a significant reduction in OVA-sIgE levels only in the combined Kes and Inu group (Kes+Inu), p<0.05. Gut microbiota diversity analysis revealed significant differences in beta diversity between the groups not receiving fructans and those receiving Kes, Inu, or Kes+Inu (p<0.01 each). Specifically, in the Kes+Inu group, the abundance of the genus UBA7173 belonging to the family Muribaculaceae significantly increased. Additionally, acetate levels were significantly elevated only in the Kes+Inu group and correlated positively with the presence of the genus UBA7173. These findings indicated that the combined intake of Kes and Inu improves allergic outcomes, positively affects the gut microbiome, and enhances the production of acetate.

Despite the various beneficial properties of cannabidiol (CBD), such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antidepressant, and anxiolytic activities, its clinical utility is limited due to its notably low bioavailability (BA). To address this issue, we developed an amorphous CBD powder formulation using solvent shift method, which only uses materials approved for food-grade applications. In a pharmacokinetic study in male Sprague-Dawley rats, we orally administered 10 mg/kg of CBD isolate powder with a crystalline structure and our developed amorphous CBD powder formulation. The C_max values demonstrated a 3.9-fold increase for the amorphous CBD powder formulation containing polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a polymer (F3) and a 3.0-fold increase for the amorphous CBD powder formulation containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as a polymer (F4) compared to the CBD isolate powder. Furthermore, the AUC_0-6h values for F3 and F4 were 5.3- and 5.2-fold higher than those for CBD isolate powder, respectively, indicating a significant enhancement. The T_max values were also significantly shorter for F3 and F4, at 0.9±0.1 h and 0.8±0.1 h, respectively, compared to >6.0 h for CBD isolate powder. These findings demonstrate the superior BA of the amorphous CBD formulation. Based on these results, the amorphous CBD formulation is expected to be a highly absorbable CBD formulation, thereby advancing its use in food and supplements.

Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle mass and strength, greatly affects the elderly. Combined with cognitive impairment, it severely impairs physical function and quality of life. While personalized nutritional rehabilitation programs are proposed, their efficacy remains understudied. To evaluate the effects of individualized nutritional rehabilitation on clinical symptoms and prognosis in elderly patients with sarcopenia and cognitive impairment. This randomized controlled trial enrolled 96 patients with sarcopenia and cognitive impairment (March 2022-March 2023), randomly assigned to intervention (individualized nutritional rehabilitation plus standard care, n=48) or control groups (standard care only, n=48). Assessments included nutritional markers (hemoglobin, albumin, vitamin D), muscle strength (Medical Research Council scale), balance (Berg Balance Scale), physical performance (Short Physical Performance Battery), activities of daily living, grip strength, 5-times sit-to-stand test, 6-m walk speed, cognitive function (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), and quality of life pre- and post-intervention. Post-intervention, the intervention group showed significantly higher hemoglobin, albumin, vitamin D, and lower Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment scores (all p<0.05). They demonstrated superior improvements in upper/lower limb strength, Short Physical Performance Battery, Berg Balance Scale, Activities of Daily Living scores, grip strength, sit-to-stand time, and 6-min walk distance (all p<0.05). Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores improved more in the intervention group (25.3±3.2 vs 22.1±3.5, p<0.05). Quality of life improved significantly more in the intervention versus control group (p<0.05). Individualized nutritional rehabilitation effectively improves nutritional status, muscle strength, physical function, cognitive performance, and quality of life in elderly patients with sarcopenia and cognitive impairment.

In aesthetic sports, a visually appealing physique is often deemed advantageous; however, excessive dietary restrictions may lead to health risks. We hypothesized that rhythmic gymnasts exhibit higher proportions of low body mass index (low BMI, <18.5 kg/m²) and menstrual dysfunction (MD) compared with not only non-aesthetic sports athletes but also non-athlete women. We measured BMI, menstruation conditions, body image (BI) distortion, Eating Attitude Test (EAT-26) scores, and eating behaviors in three female groups: rhythmic gymnasts (n=40), volleyball players as non-aesthetic sports athletes (n=46), and age-matched non-athletes (n=108). Logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify risk factors for low BMI and MD. The rhythmic gymnasts had significantly higher rates of low BMI and MD (p<0.001), greater BI distortion (p<0.05) and EAT-26 scores (p<0.001), and more frequent breakfast skipping (p<0.05) than the other two groups. Logistic regression analyses revealed that being a rhythmic gymnast and BI distortion (overestimation) were independently associated with a low BMI, and higher EAT-26 scores were independently associated with MD. These findings suggest that low BMI and MD are prevalent among rhythmic gymnasts and BI distortion and unhealthy eating attitudes may be associated with these conditions. Further research is required to prevent being underweight and related health risks among female athletes in various aesthetic sports.

Wheat alkylresorcinols (ARs) possess several biological activities that include antioxidative and neuroprotective properties. The effects of ARs on sleep regulation remain unknown. In this study, we hypothesized that ARs may contribute to the sleep-improving effects of whole grains. Male C3H/HeN mice were individually housed under a 12-h light-12-h dark cycle and intragastrically injected with vehicle or ARs at the time of lights off (activity onset). We then continuously monitored electrical activity in the brain using polygraphic electroencephalography, spontaneous locomotor activity, and subcutaneous and core body temperatures in the mice. An initial decrease in core body temperature was followed by decreased subcutaneous body temperature, locomotor activity, wakefulness, and increased non-rapid eye movement sleep for several hours in the mice injected with ARs. These findings suggested that ARs improve sleep onset by reducing core body temperature. Further studies are required to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the effects of ARs on body temperature and sleep regulation.