Nutrition
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Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are used as nutritional support and for improving prognosis in liver cirrhosis. Here we investigate the molecular mechanisms of BCAA treatment and liver damage focused on pathways related to lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP). ⋯ Serum LBP level is a prognostic biomarker in liver cirrhosis. BCAA treatment reduced translocation of E. faecalis through intestinal tight junction recovery and reduced LBP expression in the liver, which repressed activation of LBP, toll-like receptor 4, and signal transduction and activator of transcription 3. Our findings suggest that BCAA supplementation protects the liver from damage via multiple pathways.
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Moderate caloric restriction (CR) is an effective strategy to delay the onset of chronic disease states. Conversely, social isolation (SI) carries an increased risk of morbidity and mortality from several causes. The present studies were designed to investigate the long-term effect of the two combined exposures. ⋯ Furthermore, altered behavior was accompanied by a corresponding decrease in growth rate until no further increase in body weight was observed. Restoration of group-housing conditions led to a reversal of this phenotype. We conclude that chronic moderate CR and SI synergize to induce anorexia-like behavior, representing a simple and reproducible model to study such an eating disorder.
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Intermittent fasting compromises the performance of eutrophic rats submitted to resistance training.
The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of intermittent fasting (IF) on the performance of rats subjected to resistance training ladder climbs (RTLCs). ⋯ IF negatively affected RTLC performance. IF plus RTLC increased the relative weight of the stomach as well as reduced food intake, without an increase in body weight, suggesting this combination may have promoted dilation of this organ, due, hypothetically, to the scarcity of food for several hours and the energy expenditure generated by physical training.