Nutrition
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effects of weight loss from a high-calcium energy-reduced diet on biomarkers of inflammatory stress, fibrinolysis, and endothelial function in obese subjects.
Obesity is characterized by chronic subclinical inflammation, which is critical to endothelial dysfunction. Weight loss, induced by lifestyle interventions, is associated with a decline in biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial dysfunction. There is little evidence that high dietary calcium intake may reduce inflammation and improve endothelial function. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of weight loss from a high-calcium energy-reduced diet on biomarkers of inflammation, fibrinolysis, and endothelial function in obese individuals. ⋯ The findings of this study suggest that increased calcium intake during weight loss has no benefits with respect to biomarkers of inflammation, fibrinolysis, and endothelial function.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Vitamin C status and perception of effort during exercise in obese adults adhering to a calorie-reduced diet.
Moderate energy restriction and exercise are recommended for effective weight loss. Obese individuals oxidize less fat and report a higher perceived exertion during exercise, characteristics that may negatively influence exercise behavior. Because vitamin C status has been linked to fatigability, we compared the effects of vitamin C supplementation on self-reported fatigue and on the respiratory exchange ratio and the Ratings of Perceived Exertion scale during moderate exercise in healthy obese adults adhering to a hypocaloric diet. ⋯ These data provide preliminary evidence that vitamin C status may influence fatigue, heart rate, and perceptions of exertion during moderate exercise in obese individuals.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Development of a cross-over randomized trial method to determine the acceptability and safety of novel ready-to-use therapeutic foods.
To develop a method for determining the acceptability and safety of ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) before clinical trialing. Acceptability was defined using a combination of three consumption, nine safety, and six preference criteria. These were used to compare a soy/maize/sorghum RUTF (SMS-RUTFh), designed for the rehabilitation of human immunodeficiency virus/tuberculosis (HIV/TB) wasted adults, with a peanut-butter/milk-powder paste (P-RUTF; brand: Plumpy'nut) designed for pediatric treatment. ⋯ SMS-RUTFh appears to be acceptable and can be safely clinically trialed, if close monitoring of vomiting and nausea is included. The method reported here is a useful and feasible approach for testing the acceptability of ready-to-use foods in low income countries.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Digestive and physiologic effects of a wheat bran extract, arabino-xylan-oligosaccharide, in breakfast cereal.
We assessed whether a wheat bran extract containing arabino-xylan-oligosaccharide (AXOS) elicited a prebiotic effect and influenced other physiologic parameters when consumed in ready-to-eat cereal at two dose levels. ⋯ These results indicate that AXOS has prebiotic properties, selectively increasing fecal bifidobacteria, and increases postprandial ferulic acid concentrations in a dose-dependent manner in healthy men and women.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Glycerophosphocholine enhances growth hormone secretion and fat oxidation in young adults.
α-Glycerophosphocholine (GPC) is a putative acetylcholine precursor that potentially increases growth hormone secretion through the action of acetylcholine-stimulated catecholamine. The aim of this study was to investigate acute physiologic responses to a single intake of GPC. ⋯ These findings suggest that a single dose of GPC increases growth hormone secretion and hepatic fat oxidation, with concomitant increases in choline levels, in young adults.