Pleasant Stone Farm Clinical Reports

Consuming a vegan or vegetarian diet results in different profiles of gut microflora, with lower
levels of potentially pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, says a new study.
By studying fecal samples from 144 vegetarians and 105 vegans, researchers from the University Hospital in
Tubingen, Germany report that the fiber and carbohydrate content of the diets led to a lower pH in stools, and
such acidic conditions do not support the growth of bacteria like E. coli and Enterobacteriacea.
³The degradation of dietary fibers by exoenzymes mainly leads to greater amount of short-chain fatty acids such
as acetate, propionate and butyrate that create a slightly acidic milieu with values between pH 5.5 and 6.5,´
explained researchers led by
³This effect may have been amplified by germs that grow because of the large amount of fibers. These pH
ranges do not support bacteria such as E. coli and Enterobacteriacea in their growth as they prefer pH ranges
greater than 6.5.´
Gut microbial profiles are increasingly of interest as we begin to understand how gut microbial profiles are linked
to specific conditions. Indeed, other scientists have already reported that microbial populations in the gut are
different between obese and lean people , and that when the obese people lost weight their microflora reverted
back to that observed in a lean person, suggesting that obesity may have a microbial component.
Also, late in 2011 Dr Jeffrey Gordon and his team at the Washington University in St Louis reported that probiotic
bacteria consumed in yogurt may influence carbohydrate metabolism .
More benefits for women?
Writing in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition , the researchers note that their most relevant finding is the
differential effects of the vegan diet on the pH of the stool: Studies have shown that the pH of stools in
omnivorous women is higher than in men, despite both genders consuming similar amounts of fiber.
However, when men and women adhere to a strict vegan diet rich in fibers for a long time both then differences
in stool pH are no longer observed.
³This indicates that females profit more from maintaining a strict vegan diet than do men,´ wrote the
researchers.
No surprises
Commenting independently on the study¶s findings, Professor Glenn Gibson from the University of Reading in the
UK said that the data only tells ³part of the story´ because of the cultural (conventional) microbiology approach
employed by the researchers.
As such, the non-culturable diversity will be missed, he said. ³Also, it is difficult to be absolutely confident of
colony identities on the plates. They used API which is a biochemical procedure, but gene sequencing is
preferable.
³Having said that, you would expect the flora a vegetarians/vegans to differ from meat eaters: Meat eaters
consume more protein and this leads to less desirable metabolites.
³A high carbohydrate diet (non absorbable CHO, not sugar) should stimulate a more +ve microbiota – e.g.
bifidobacteria and lactobacilli,´ added Prof Gibson.
Stud\ details
The study¶s findings were based on data from vegetarians and vegans and compared with people consuming an
³ordinary omnivorous diet´.1/29/12 Fiber-rich vegetarian diet leads to better gut microflora profile: Stud\
www.nutraingredients-usa.com/content/view/print/601682 2/2
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“Higher consumption of animal protein is one possible explanation for higher stool pH values in subjects on an
omnivorous diet, as proteolytic putrefactive bacteria are able to increase stool pH by producing alkaline
metabolites,” e[plained Whe VcienWiVWV.
“This speculation is strengthened upon closer examination of the mean pH values. The vegetarians¶ mean pH
value of 6.6 is between that of vegans and of omnivores (6.3 and 6.9, respectively).”
SoXUce: European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
2012, Vol. 66, PageV 53-60; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2011.141
“A vegan or vegetarian diet substantially alters the human colonic faecal microbiota”
AXWhoUV: J ZimmeU, B Lange, eW al.

A combination of eight micronutrients may boost sperm quality and enhance the chance of
conception, suggests new data from Austria.
A study with 132 sub-fertile males showed that three months of supplementation with the nutraceutical
combination resulted in improvements in measures of sperm quality by up to 215%.
The micronutrient combination was also associated with higher rates of conception, with 34 pregnancies reported
during the six months that followed the study, compared with 11 in the control group, according to findings
published in e-SPEN, the European e-Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism .
The Austria-based researchers used the branded PROfertil supplement, containing L-carnitine, L-arginine, zinc,
vitamin E, glutathione, selenium, coenzyme Q10 and folic acid, all of which are said to be required for ³optimal
sperm cell metabolism, DNA synthesis during spermatogenesis, proliferation and anti-oxidative protection.
³In consideration of their biochemical function, these ingredients are of great significance for male reproduction,´
wrote researchers led by Martin Imhof from the Fertility Clinic IMI in Vienna.
Nutrients and fertilit\
Sub-fertility in men is reported to account for between 25 and 30% of all infertility causes, and is listed as one of
the many reasons that birth rates are falling in Western countries.
In addition, about 50% of male fertility is the result of unknown causes (idiopathic), said the Austria-based
researchers, and nutrition has been touted as a potential way of boosting the quality of sperm.
The new study assessed the potential of a ³non-prescription nutraceutical containing eight micronutrients´ on
sperm quality in 132 sub-fertile males with a mean age of 34, while 73 sub-fertile men with a mean age of 38
participated as controls.
The nutraceutical group received supplements providing total daily doses of 440 mg L-carnitine, 250 mg Larginine, 40 mg zinc, 120 mg vitamin E, 80 mg glutathione, 60 micrograms of selenium, 15 mg coenzyme Q10,
and 800 micrograms of folic acid. The supplement was provided by Vienna-based Lenus Pharma GmbH.
Results showed that men receiving the active supplement displayed a 33% improvement in ejaculatory volume,
a 215% improvement in sperm cell density, and a 23% improvement in total sperm motility.
³These increments were significantly higher than those observed among controls,´ added Imhof and his coworkers.
Limitationsand potential
³We recognize the non randomized placebo controlled design of our study as a limitation,´ said the researchers.
³However, a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study is currently on the way to support these
preliminary results.
³Despite mentioned limitations and in light of the fact that therapies for sub-fertile men are still missing, the
investigated compound is a promising therapeutic approach, improving sperm parameters and enabling natural
conception for couples with idiopathic male infertility,´ they concluded.
Source: e-SPEN, the European e-Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism
Published online 3 December 2011, doi:10.1016/j.eclnm.2011.11.002
³Improvement of sperm quality after micronutrient supplementation´
Authors: M. Imhof, J. Lackner, M. Lipovac, P. Chedraui, C. Riedl

Consumption of moderate amounts of red wine is associated with changes in serum hormones that
could lead to a reduction in breast cancer risk, say researchers.
The study ± published in the Journal of Women’s Health ± investigated the possibility that red wine consumption
was associated with hormonal changes linked to breast cancer reduction by comparing levels of important
hormones in people consuming a moderate amount of red and white wine daily.
The researchers found that red wine consumption was associated with hormonal changes ± such as increasing
free testosterone and lowering levels of female sex hormones.
The findings suggest that red wine ³is a nutritional aromatase inhibitor and may explain the observation that red
wine does not appear to increase breast cancer risk,´ say the study authors ± led by Dr Glenn Braunstein of the
Cedars-Sinai Research Institute, USA.
³Our results in a controlled setting provide a potential mechanistic pathway whereby red wine may serve as a
nutritional AI. They provide further evidence that red wine, through the hormonal shift patterns, may not elevate
breast cancer risk like other alcoholic beverages,´ said Braunstein and his team.
Braunstein explained that “there are chemicals in red grape skin and red grape seeds that are not found in white
grapes that may decrease breast cancer risk.´
The team added that their findings challenge the widely-held belief that all types of alcohol consumption heighten
the risk of developing breast cancer.
Cancer link
Previous research has consistently reported that alcohol consumption ± including wine ± increases the risk of
breast cancer. However, there have also been several studies demonstrating the potentially healthy benefits of
certain compounds found in red wine, and as such, whether red wine raises or lowers the risk remains
controversial.
Braunstein and his colleagues noted that aromatase inhibitors (AIs) prevent the conversion of androstenedione
and testosterone into oestrogen, leading to increases in blood testosterone and decreases in oestradiol,
oestrone, and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels. This pathway is known to play an important role in
the management and treatment of oestrogen receptor±positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women ±
however its role in premenopausal women is under investigation.
The research team noted that several potentially chemoprotective chemicals have been identified in red wine,
including isoflavone phytoestrogens, flavones, and procyanidin B dimers.
³All of these chemicals have AI activity on the cytochrome P450 aromatase enzyme in both in vitro and in vivo
studies,´ said Braunstein and his team.
Other chemicals in wine, includng resveratrol, rutin, and quercetin, are suggested to inhibit aromatase but have
not been clearly established, they said.
Stud\ details
In a randomized cross-over design, 36 premenopausal women were assigned to either red wine (Cabernet
Sauvignon) or white wine (Chardonnay) daily for almost a month, before being switched to the other type of
wine. Blood was collected twice each month to measure hormone levels.
Braunstein and his co-workers revealed that the change in hormone patterns found from red wine consumption ±
including higher free testosterone and lower SHBG levels ± suggest that it could block the growth of cancer cells,
as has been shown in test tube studies.1/29/12 Red wine ma\ reduce breast cancer risk, suggests stud\
www.nutraingredients.com/content/view/print/601532 2/2
However he noted that large-scale studies still are needed to evaluate the safet\ and effectiveness of red wine to
assess whether it specificall\ alters breast cancer risk.
Source: Journal of Women’s Health
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1089/jwh.2011.3001
³Red Versus White Wine as a Nutritional Aromatase Inhibitor in Premenopausal Women´
Authors: C. Shufelt, C.N.B. Mer], Y.C. Yang, J. Kirschner, D. Polk, et al

People with decreased mental function and Alzheimer’s disease are more likely to have low blood
levels of vitamin E tocopherols and tocotrienols, suggest new findings from an international team
of researchers.
Alzheimer patients were 85% less likely to have the highest levels of vitamin E, compared with people with
normal cognitive function, researchers from six European countries report in Neurobiology of Aging.
In addition, people with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer¶s were over 90% less likely to have the highest
levels of vitamin E in the tocotrienol form, added the researchers, led by Francesca Mangialasche from the
Karolinska Institute in Stockholm.
“The present study shows that plasma concentrations of different vitamin E forms are related to the diagnosis of
[Alzheimer¶s disease] and [mild cognitive impairment] in elderly subjects,” they wrote.
“The increasing evidence about vitamin E family neuroprotective properties warrants further investigation of their
role in age-related cognitive decline and [Alzheimer¶s disease], to better define the composition of vitamin E
supplements that can be tested in the prevention/treatment of [Alzheimer¶s disease].”
Dr Mangialasche and her co-workers also noted that analysis of vitamin E forms in the blood may help to identify
elderly people who could benefit from vitamin E supplementation.
There are eight forms of vitamin E: four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) and four tocotrienols (alpha,
beta, gamma, delta). Alpha-tocopherol is the main source found in supplements and in the European diet, while
gamma-tocopherol is the most common form in the American diet.
Mental function
The build-up of plaque from beta-amyloid deposits is associated with an increase in brain cell damage and death
from oxidative stress. Wasting in the brain, or atrophy, is a common symptom of mild cognitive impairment, and
can be an early warning to signs of dementia.
Vitamin E, an antioxidant, has been proposed to offer a potential nutritional approach to reduce the risk of such
impairment. Indeed, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial reported a beneficial effect of alpha-tocopherol (2000
IU total per day) in Alzheimer patients (New England Journal of Medicine, 1997, Vol. 336, pp. 1216-22).
Alpha-tocopherol is the only form being tested in such trials, however, and the new study is said to be the first to
evaluate all the forms of vitamin E in relation to Alzheimer¶s disease and mild cognitive impairment.
The new study was described as “unique” by Dr Barrie Tan, president of American River Nutrition, a
Massachusetts-based supplier of tocotrienols extracted from annatto.
“This clinical study is definitely the first that I have seen, where the effects were evaluated in total, which is the
beneficial effects point to tocopherols, tocotrienols, vitamin Es (all isomers combined), not just only to alphatocopherol,” he told NutraIngredients-USA.
Study details
The European researchers analyzed data from 168 Alzheimer patients, 166 people with mild cognitive
impairment, and 187 people with normal cognitive function.
The data indicated that people with Alzheimer¶s disease and mild cognitive impairment had lower blood levels of
total tocopherols, total tocotrienols, and total vitamin E.
After crunching the numbers, the researchers calculated that people with both forms of cognitive decline were
85% less likely to have the highest average levels of total tocopherols and total vitamin E. In addition, they were
92% and 94%, respectively, less likely to have the highest average levels of total tocotrienols.1/29/12 More vitamin E linked to better mental function: Stud\
www.nutraingredients-usa.com/content/view/print/602204 2/2
Dr Mangialasche and her co-workers added that subjects with Alzheimer¶s disease and mild cognitive impairment
displayed higher levels of vitamin E damage markers compared to the cognitively normal group of subjects. This
result suggested a direct link between oxidative stress in early Alzheimer¶s onset and low levels of vitamin E.
Commenting on the results, American River Nutrition¶s Dr Tan said that, further analysis of the data showed that
the highest protection was offered by alpha-tocotrienol, delta-tocotrienol, and gamma-tocotrienol.
³This suggests that all tocotrienols, except beta-tocotrienol, and gamma-tocopherol afford the strongest
protection to cognitive impairment.´
Strengthening the role of tocotrienols for cognitiYe health
The study was also welcomed by WH Leong, VP of tocotrienol supplier Carotech Inc. ³We now know that each
and every vitamin E form, tocopherols and tocotrienols, are required for preserving cognitive functions,
especially in older people,´ he said.
³We have always emphasized the need to take the 8 forms of vitamin E, as naturally found in our diet and as
nature intended. It is not right to say that we only need one type of vitamin E.
³Consumers should be taking a full spectrum vitamin E especially for improving/ preserving cognitive health and
performance,´ added Leong.
Source: Neurobiology of Aging
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.11.019
³Tocopherols and tocotrienols plasma levels are associated with cognitive impairment´

Protein from blue whiting fish may promote the production of gut hormones associated with
suppressing appetite, and may aid weight management, suggests new research from France.
Results from cell studies showed that the fish protein may promote the secretion of appetite suppressing
cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), while feeding lab rats with the protein produced
weight loss, according to findings published in the Journal of Functional Foods .
³The biological effects of CCK and GLP-1 stimulating peptides may potentially lead to promising therapeutic
applications of this blue whiting hydrolysate in health and nutrition related markets,´ wrote the researchers from
ProBioGEM, the CNRS and the Compagnie des Peches Saint Malo Santé.
³Moreover, in the global context of marine resource depletion it could be of economical and ecological interest to
promote the development of fish by-products upgrading.´
Market potential
With the World Health Organization estimating that by 2015, there will be more than 1.5 billion overweight
consumers, the opportunities for a scientifically-substantiated weight management product are impressive.
The slimming ingredients market can be divided into five groups based on the mechanisms of action ± boosting
fat burning/ thermogenesis, inhibiting protein breakdown, suppressing appetite/boosting satiety (feeling of
fullness), blocking fat absorption, and regulating mood (linked to food consumption).
The market for food, beverage and supplement weight management products is already valued at $3.64bn (2009
figures) in the US, according to Euromonitor. In Western Europe, the market was worth $1.3bn in 2009.
Boosting satiety has been a focus of numerous nutritional approaches, with gut hormones PYY, CCK and GLP-1
common targets.
Fish potential
The new study suggests that protein hydrolysates from blue whiting muscle could enhance the secretion of CCK
and GLP-1 in cells.
The French researchers went on to test the fish protein in lab rats. The animals were given 500 microliters of
water supplemented with 0, 50, 100 and 250 milligrams per milliliter for 12 days. Results showed that short term
food intake (four days) was significantly reduced, but no significant difference between the groups was observed
over the entire 12 day period.
Further analysis showed that both CCK and GLP-1 increased in the lab animals receiving the higher doses of the
fish protein.
³The decrease in the short term food intake observed with [blue whiting muscle hydrolysates], which is
potentiated by the gastrointestinal hormones, may finally lead to a reduction in the body fat mass after 15 days
of administration.
³Further experiments will be necessary to confirm the assumption that the chronic administration of [blue whiting
muscle hydrolysates] preload on a long time period leads to a diminution of body fat mass via a diminution of
long term food intake,´ concluded the researchers.
Source: Journal of Functional Foods
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1016/j.jff.2011.12.003
³In vitro and in vivo evidence for a satiating effect of fish protein hydrolysate obtained from blue whiting
(Micromesistius poutassou) muscle´
Authors: B. Cudennec, M. Fouchereau-Peron, F. Ferry, E. Duclos, R. Ravallec

A lack of iron in childhood can affect the physical structure of the brain, according to a new study
conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The study, led by UCLA neurology professor Paul Thompson and published online in the journal Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences, could shed new light on the mechanisms by which iron affects cognition, brain
development, and brain degeneration, claim the authors.
“You wouldn’t think the iron in our diet would affect the brain so much in our teen years. But it turns out that it
matters very much,´ said Prof Thompson.
³It underscores the need for a balanced diet in the teenage years, when your brain’s command center is still
actively maturing.´
Transferrin levels connected to brain structure
It is well-known that too little iron can result in cognitive problems, while too much can promote
neurodegenerative diseases (abnormally high iron concentrations have been found in the brains of patients with
Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington diseases).
Thus understanding how the body regulates iron transport to the brain is crucial, said the study authors, who
measured levels of transferrin, a protein that transports iron throughout the body and brain, in adolescents.
They discovered that transferrin levels were related to detectable differences in the brain’s macro- and microstructure when the adolescents reached young adulthood.
They also identified a common set of genes that influences both transferrin levels and brain structure.
Health\ brain wiring in adults linked to iron levels in teenage \ears
“We found that healthy brain wiring in adults depended on having good iron levels in your teenage years,” said
Thompson. “This connection was a lot stronger than we expected, especially as we were looking at people who
were young and healthy. None of them would be considered iron-deficient.
“We also found a connection with a gene that explains why this is so. The gene itself seems to affect brain wiring,
which was a big surprise.´
Methodolog\
Thompson’s team collected brain MRI scans on 615 healthy young-adult twins and siblings with an average age
of 23. Of these, 574 were also given a µdiffusion scan¶, which maps the brain’s myelin connections and their
strength, or integrity.
Myelin is the fatty sheath that coats the brain’s nerve axons, allowing for efficient conduction of nerve impulses,
and iron plays a key role in myelin production.
Blood samples of the subjects taken 8-12 years previously were then tested for transferrin levels in order to
determine whether iron availability in adolescence impacted the organization of the brain later in life.
By averaging the subjects’ transferrin levels, which had been assessed repeatedly — at 12, 14 and 16 years of
age — the researchers estimated iron availability to the brain during adolescence.
Elevated serum transferrin levels in adolescence linked to changes in parts of brain vulnerable to
degeneration
The team discovered that subjects with elevated transferrin levels — a common sign of an iron-deficient diet — in
adolescence had structural changes in brain regions vulnerable to neurodegeneration. Meanwhile, further1/29/12 Health\ brain wiring in adults depends on iron levels in adolescence, stud\
www.nutraingredients-usa.com/content/view/print/603529 2/2
analyses of twins in the study revealed that a common set of genes influences both transferrin levels and brain
structure.
One of the genetic links ² a specific polymorphism in a gene called HFE known to influence blood transferrin
levels ² was associated with reduced brain-fiber integrity, although subjects carrying this gene variant did not
yet show any symptoms of disease or cognitive impairment.
“So this is one of the deep secrets of the brain,” Thompson said. “Poor iron levels in childhood erode your brain
reserves which you need later in life to protect against aging and Alzheimer’s.
“This is remarkable, as we were not studying iron deficient people, just around 600 normal healthy people. It
underscores the need for a balanced diet in the teenage years, when your brain’s command center is still
actively maturing. ”
The research was supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; Australia’s
National Health and Medical Research Council; the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation; the
National Institute of Mental Health; and the Australian Research Council Future Fellowship.
SoXUce: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, published online before print January 9, 2012, doi:
10.1073/pnas.1105543109
µBrain structure in healthy adults is related to serum transferrin and the H63D polymorphism in the HFE gene.¶
AXWhoUV: Neda Jahanshad, Omid Kohannim, Derrek P. Hibara, Jason L. Steina, Katie L. McMahon, Greig I. de
Zubicaray, Sarah E. Medland, Grant W. Montgomery, John B. Whitfield, Nick G. Martin, Margie J. Wright, Arthur
W. Toga, and Paul M. Thompson.

A new study has transformed thinking on type 2 diabetes by reporting that an extreme low calorie diet could reverse the condition in just eight weeks.

The research, published in the journal Diabetologia, reports that a low calorie diet of 600 calories a day for two months can remove excess fat clogging up the pancreas, thus allowing normal insulin secretion to be restored – overturning the long held belief that type 2 diabetes is a lifelong condition.

The early stage clinical trail in eleven people reported a 100 per cent reversal of diabetes symptoms during the two month diet period, with 64 per cent of the participants remaining diabetes free three months after the diet had finished.

“To have people free of diabetes after years with the condition is remarkable – and all because of an eight week diet,” said Professor Roy Taylor of Newcastle University, UK, who led the study.

“This is a radical change in understanding Type 2 diabetes. It will change how we can explain it to people newly diagnosed with the condition.

“It has long been believed that someone with Type 2 diabetes will always have the disease, and that it will steadily get worse … we have shown that we can reverse the condition,” said Taylor

Study details

Under close supervision of a medical team, 11 people who had developed diabetes later in life were put on an extreme diet of just 600 calories a day, consisting of liquid diet drinks and non-starchy vegetables.

They were matched to a control group of people without diabetes and then monitored over eight weeks to measure the production of insulin from their pancreas and fat content in the liver and pancreas.

After just one week, the research team found that pre-breakfast blood sugar levels had returned to normal, whilst scans revealed that fat levels in the pancreas had lowered from an elevated level of eight per cent to the healthy, normal level of six per cent.

In combination with the reduction of fat levels, the pancreas was found to regain its normal ability to produce insulin. As a result, blood sugar after meals was reported to steadily improve.

“We believe this shows that Type 2 diabetes is all about energy balance in the body,” explained Taylor, “if you are eating more than you burn, then the excess is stored in the liver and pancreas as fat which can lead to Type 2 diabetes in some people.”

The researchers said that the new insight “allows an understanding of the causality of type 2 diabetes in individuals as well as in populations.”

“It carries major implications for information to be given to newly diagnosed patients, who should know that they have a potentially reversible condition and not one that is inevitably progressive,” they concluded.

Source: Diabetologia
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1007/s00125-011-2204-7
“Reversal of type 2 diabetes: normalisation of beta cell function in association with decreased pancreas and liver triacylglycerol”
Authors: E. L. Lim, K. G. Hollingsworth, B. S. Aribisala, M. J. Chen, J. C. Mathers, R. Taylor

Daily supplements of L-carnitine may improve how the body handles glucose, and prevent spikes in blood sugar levels, suggests a new study from Scotland with implications for diabetics.

A daily dose of L-carnitine produced a reduction in levels of blood sugar of lean men 30 minutes after being fed 75 grams of glucose – called an oral glucose tolerance test – while the response was different in overweight and obese men, indicating that these individuals may not be as sensitive to insulin, according to findings published in journal Amino Acids.

“The pattern of response in glucose with L-carnitine supplementation in lean participants (earlier timing of peak glucose and lower 30 min glucose concentration) seems to support a mechanism of enhanced glucose disposal through a direct insulin-like action on skeletal muscle” report researchers led by Stuart Galloway from the University of Stirling in Scotland.

“The pattern of change in overweight/ obese with L-carnitine (delayed timing of peak glucose and higher 90 min glucose concentration) appears to support delayed gastric emptying, but these observations need further evaluation.

“This differential response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). in lean and overweight/obese participants following oral L-carnitine supplementation could explain some of the conflicting reports on metabolic responses to carnitine supplementation evident in the literature.”

The ingredient

L-Carnitine, a vitamin-like nutrient, occurs naturally in the human body and is essential for turning fat into energy. It is frequently used as a dietary supplement by physically active people to help with post-exercise recovery.

The potential health conditions of the ingredient include cardiovascular benefits, weight management potential, sports nutrition (energy and recover), and maintaining levels during pregnancy.

A recent report on L-carnitine from Global Industry Analysts Inc. predicted the global market to be worth $127 million by 2017, with sports drinks and nutritional powders continuing to drive end use.

While the market continues to be dominated by the likes of Lonza, the new report states that Chinese manufacturers have “seized the market reins” in a relatively short time, and China is now responsible for 48 percent of the global L-carnitine production (2008 values).

The L-carnitine used in the present study was administered in the form of L-carnitine L-tartrate and supplied by Lonza.

Study details

Dr Galloway and his co-workers recruited eight lean and eight overweight and obese men to participate in their 14 day study.

The men received either three grams of L-carnitine or three grams of glucose per day with their meals for 14 days. Subjects then underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), which involved feeding them 75 grams of glucose, and then measuring the effects.

Blood sugar levels were found to be significantly lower in the L-carnitine group of lean men than in the glucose fed lean men 30 minutes after ingestion.

On the flip side, blood glucose levels were higher in overweight and obese men 90 minutes after ingesting L-carnitine, compared to placebo, indicating an effect of gastric emptying, said the researchers.

“It is concluded that L-carnitine supplementation induces changes in blood glucose handling/disposal during an OGTT, which is not influenced by [the gut hormone] GLP-1.

“The glucose handling/disposal response to oral L-carnitine is different between lean and overweight/obese suggesting that further investigation is required.

“L-carnitine effects on gastric emptying and/or direct ‘insulin-like’ actions on tissues should be examined in larger samples of overweight/obese and lean participants, respectively,” they added.

Source: Amino Acids
Volume 41, Number 2, 507-515, doi: 10.1007/s00726-010-0770-5
“Effects of oral l-carnitine supplementation on insulin sensitivity indices in response to glucose feeding in lean and overweight/obese males”
Authors: S.D.R. Galloway, T.P. Craig, S.J. Cleland

A review of the scientific literature reveals that omega-3 fatty acids offer a ‘scientifically supported means of reducing arterial stiffness’, says a new review from Australia.

According to findings published in the British Journal of Nutrition, analysis of data from ten clinical trials revealed that omega-3 fatty acids were associated with an improvement of both pulse wave velocity and arterial compliance, both of which are measures of the stiffness of arteries.

“The findings of the present study reveal that supplementation with omega-3 offers a scientifically supported means of reducing arterial stiffness,” wrote researchers from the NICM Centre for Study of Natural Medicines and Neurocognition in Australia.

“Reduction in arterial stiffness by n-3 may account for some of its purported cardioprotective effects.”

Heart health and beyond

The heart health benefits of consuming oily fish, and the omega-3 fatty acids they contain, are well-documented, being first reported in the early 1970s by Dr Jorn Dyerberg and his co-workers in The Lancet and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. To date, the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have been linked to improvements in blood lipid levels, a reduced tendency of thrombosis, blood pressure and heart rate improvements, and improved vascular function.

Beyond heart health, omega-3 fatty acids, most notably EPA and DHA, have been linked to a wide-range of health benefits, including reduced risk of certain cancers, good development of a baby during pregnancy, joint health, and improved behavior and mood.

Despite such benefits there are still problems with ensuring adequate omega-3 intakes from fatty fish. This has led to a fleet of omega-3-rich concentrates becoming available. Projections by Frost & Sullivan set annual growth for the omega-3 market at an impressive 24 per cent, and the market is estimated to be worth $1.6bn by 2014.

Review details

Led by Matthew Pase, the reviewers conducted the first meta-analysis to examine the effects of omega-3 supplementation on the stiffness of arteries.

The literature yielded ten randomised and controlled adult human clinical trials. Four trials measured pulse wave velocity and six measured arterial compliance.

“Meta-analysis revealed that omega-3 was statistically significant in effectively improving both PWV and arterial compliance,” wrote the researchers.

Doses

A recent article, also published in the British Journal of Nutrition , concluded that daily doses of omega-3s of at least 250 milligrams are required to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death and other heart conditions.

A dose of at least 250 mg of the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (LCFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), was associated with a 35 percent reduction in the risk of sudden cardiac death.

In addition, such doses were associated with a ‘near-significant’ 17 percent decrease in the risk of ‘total fatal coronary events’, according to a team of researchers from academia and industry.

“Thus, the intake of 250 mg omega-3 LCFA per day may, indeed, be a minimum target to be achieved by the general population for the promotion of cardiovascular health,” wrote authors led by Kathy Musa-Veloso from Cantox Health Sciences International.

Source: British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, FirstView Articles, doi: 10.1017/S0007114511002819
“Do long-chain n-3 fatty acids reduce arterial stiffness? A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials”
Authors: M.P. Pase, N.A. Grima, J. Sarris

Increased soluble fibre consumption may reduce the amount of deep belly fat that we accumulate, according to new research.

The study, published in Nature’s journal Obesity, found that for every 10-gram increase in soluble fibre eaten per day, deep belly visceral fat, known to be more dangerous than subcutaneous found near the skin, was reduced by 3.7 per cent over five years.

In addition, the authors reported that increased moderate activity resulted in a 7.4 per cent decrease in the rate of visceral fat accumulation over the same time.

“Our study is valuable because it provides specific information on how dietary fibre, especially soluble fibre, may affect weight accumulation through abdominal fat deposits,” said Dr Kristen Hairston, assistant professor of internal medicine at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Centre, USA.

“Making a few simple changes can have a big health impact,” added Hairston, who led the research study.

Study details

In the longitudinal study, Hairston and her team examined whether lifestyle factors, including diet and frequency of exercise, were associated with a five-year change in abdominal fat of African Americans and Hispanic Americans – populations who are at a disproportionally higher risk for developing high blood pressure and diabetes and accumulating visceral fat.

The researchers reported that intake of dietary soluble fibre was associated with a decreased rate of visceral fat, but not subcutaneous fat, accumulation.

“Results from the current study reveal that increased consumption of soluble fibre led to a decreased rate of visceral adipose tissue accumulation, suggesting that increased soluble fibre intake may be instrumental in slowing this natural progression,” said the researchers.

Hairston said that her research team’s next study, expected to be in clinical trials later this summer, will examine whether increasing soluble fibre, with a widely available fibre supplement, will produce similar results to those obtained with soluble fibre from food.

Fat risk

Hairston and her colleagues noted that central obesity has been associated with hypertension, blood lipid imbalances, insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and type-2 diabetes.

“Studies indicate a direct relationship between levels of visceral adipose tissue and future risk of impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes,” they added.

“We [also] know that a higher rate of visceral fat is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes and fatty liver disease,” said Dr Hairston,

The researchers noted that increasing dietary fibre has been suggested to help fight weight gain, with many previous studies suggesting a link between fibre intake and levels of obesity.

“Although the fibre-obesity relationship has been extensively studied, the relationship between fibre and specific fat deposits has not,” said Hairston

Source: Obesity
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.1038/oby.2011.171
“Lifestyle Factors and 5-Year Abdominal Fat Accumulation in a Minority Cohort: The IRAS Family Study”
Authors: K.G. Hairston, M.Z. Vitolins, J.M. Norris, A.M. Anderson, A.J. Hanley, L.E. Wagenknecht