Nutrition
-
We investigated the effect of glutamine supplementation on plasma glutamine (Gln), glutamate (Glu), and whole-blood glutathione (GSH) concentrations in human volunteers. ⋯ Oral Gln increases Glu and Gln levels in plasma of healthy subjects but does not increase GSH red cell (whole-blood) levels. Thus, GSH biosynthesis and preservation of GHS stores in red blood cells may involve rate-limiting substrates other than Gln.
-
We investigated the amount and sources of vitamin D in the Japanese diet by analyzing diet records collected over a 4-mo period. ⋯ Frequent fish intake appears to be an advisable health practice in terms of preventing vitamin D insufficiency in the elderly.
-
Total serum homocysteine is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease in the general population. Further, homocysteine might be the link between psychological traits (namely anger and hostility) and cardiovascular disease, mediated by stressful events and sympathetic nervous tone. ⋯ In obese persons, psychological traits are not major determinants of total homocysteine. A different response to stressful events, not simply mediated by sympathetic nervous tone, might be present in obesity.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Circulating concentrations of soluble leptin receptor: influence of menstrual cycle and diet therapy.
Concentrations of the soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R) may be related to leptin resistance in obesity. We measured sOB-R concentrations in serum in 103 non-diabetic Japanese men and women. All subjects were grouped according to body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)). ⋯ Serum sOB-R concentrations did not change significantly during the menstrual cycle. Our results showed that serum sOB-R concentrations decrease with increasing BMI and that sex hormones likely do not affect serum sOB-R concentrations in non-pregnant women. The reduction in serum sOB-R concentrations in overweight and obese persons may reflect downregulation of hypothalamic leptin receptor production as a result of an increase in circulating leptin and might be an important factor in leptin resistance.
-
We respectively compared the nutritional and clinical efficacies of eucaloric and hypocaloric enteral feedings in 40 critically ill, obese patients admitted to the trauma or surgical intensive care unit. ⋯ These data suggest that hypocaloric enteral nutrition support is as least as effective as eucaloric feeding in critically ill, obese patients.