PURPOSE: Walnut is known to have unique favorable fatty acids, phytochemicals, and other nutrient profiles. As a result, there has been growing interest in evaluation of its health benefit related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although inverse associations of nut consumption and risk factors of cardiovascular disease have been reported in many epidemiological studies and qualitative reviews, few meta-analysis studies have been reported. This meta-analysis was conducted in order to evaluate the effect of a walnut-enhanced diet on CVD risk factors. METHODS: We searched Pubmed, Cochrane, Science Direct, and KISS (Korean studies Information Service System) through July 2014. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted on 17 trials reporting total cholesterol (TC), 14 trials reporting LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), 15 trials reporting HDL cholesterol (HDL-C), 17 trials reporting triglyceride (TG), and four trials reporting flow-mediated dilation (FMD). RESULTS: In meta-analysis, intake of a walnut-enhanced diet resulted in significantly lowered TC, LDL-C, and TG by -0.124 mmol/l (95% CI, -0.209, -0.039; p = 0.004), -0.085 mmol/lL (95% CI, -0.167, -0.004; p = l0.039), and -0.080 mmol/l (95% CI, -0.155, -0.004; p = 0.039), respectively. The overall pooled estimate of the effect on FMD was +1.313% (95% CI, 0.744, 1.882, p = 0.000). HDL-C was not affected by walnut intake. No statistical heterogeneity was observed for any analysis. Results of funnel plots and Egger's regression suggested a low likelihood of publication bias in all biomarkers (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Findings of this meta-analysis provide consistent evidence that walnut-enhanced diet intake reduces the CVD risk factors.
Biomarkers ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, HDL ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Diet ; Fatty Acids ; Information Services ; Insurance Benefits ; Juglans* ; Nuts ; Phytochemicals ; Population Characteristics ; Publication Bias ; Risk Factors ; Triglycerides

PURPOSE: This review describes the historical changes in nutrition philosophy from a reductionist to a holistic approach during the 20th century. Also, the role and efficient use of a holistic approach to precision nutrition are discussed. RESULTS: Over the past century, significant progress has been made in human nutrition research, unraveling fundamental mechanisms of single nutrients on single targets or pathways. This kind of a reductionist approach has helped to save populations from nutrient deficiency diseases and improve associated health outcomes in large parts of the world. However, a new set of nutrition problems, like obesity and diet-related chronic diseases, are growing each year worldwide, increasing the financial burden on the health care system. A linear cause-effect association between single nutrients and a single physiologic effect, is insufficient to solve the complex nutrition-health relationships. Research that involves a more holistic rather than reductionist approach is needed to tackle a new set of nutrition problems. Recent advances in technology, informatics, and statistical methods are enabling an understanding of the diversity of individuals and the complex interactions between foods and human bodies, leading to the concept of “precision nutrition.” CONCLUSION: The emerging goal of precision nutrition is to provide tailored dietary advice for maintaining health and preventing obesity and diet-related chronic diseases. The parts are already being installed. To grab the complexity, reductionism and holism must be used interdependently.
Chronic Disease ; Deficiency Diseases ; Delivery of Health Care ; Human Body ; Humans ; Informatics ; Obesity ; Philosophy

PURPOSE: This study was conducted in order to investigate the protective effects of ethanolic extract of Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai (AE) against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury in rats. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups in order to receive the following experimental diets with intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 (2.0 mL/kg body weight, 20% solution 0.65 mL) for eight weeks (n = 8 per group): CCl4 control (CON), CCl4 + AE 1% (AE1), CCl4 + AE 3% (AE3), or CCl4 + acanthoic acid 0.037%, which is equivalent to AE 3% (AA). RESULTS: Highest serum ALT activity and albumin level were observed in the CCL4 control group, but showed a significant decrease by either AE or AA supplementation in a dose-dependent manner (p = 0.0063 and 0.0076, respectively). Both hemotoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's staining indicated remarkable prevention of CCl4-induced liver damage in the AE3 group. TNFalpha and IL-6 production were significantly lowered in the AE treated groups, but not in the AA group (p = 0.0016 and p = 0.0002, respectively). The effects of AE3 were greater than those of AA for inflammation and liver toxicity biomarkers. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the results suggested that ethanolic extract of Acanthopanax koreanum Nakai provided hepa-toprotective effects, leading to the reduction of inflammatory response. In addition, the effect of AE was superior to that of single compound AA.
Eleutherococcus* ; Animals ; Biomarkers ; Body Weight ; Carbon Tetrachloride ; Carbon* ; Diet ; Eosine Yellowish-(YS) ; Ethanol ; Hematoxylin ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intraperitoneal ; Interleukin-6 ; Liver* ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

The prevalence of atherothrombotic disease continues to rise, presenting an increasing number of challenges to modern society and creating interest in functional foods. Platelet activation, adhesion, and aggregation at vascular endothelial disruption sites are key events in atherothrombotic disease. Physiological challenges such as hyperlipidemia, obesity, and cigarette smoking are associated with vascular changes underlying platelet aggregation and inflammatory processes. However, it is difficult to determine the beneficial response of functional foods in healthy subjects. To address this problem, challenge models and high-risk models related to smokers, obesity, and dyslipidemia are proposed as sensitive measures to evaluate the effects of functional foods in healthy subjects. In this review, we construct a model to evaluate the effects of functional food such as natural products on blood flow based on a human intervention study.
Atherosclerosis ; Biological Products ; Blood Circulation ; Blood Vessels ; Dyslipidemias ; Functional Food* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans* ; Hyperlipidemias ; Obesity ; Platelet Activation ; Platelet Aggregation ; Prevalence ; Smoking

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In a healthy person, from 35 years of age, there is an annual loss of muscle mass at the rate of 1–2% and is associated with a decline in the quality of life. This study aimed to identify the particular dietary patterns associated with the risk of lower lean muscle mass in Korean postmenopausal women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) is a population-based, continuous cross-sectional annual survey. The participants of the KNHANES IV (2008–2009) and V (2010–2011) were considered for this study. The study sample consisted of 1548 postmenopausal women, aged 45–86 years. Lower lean muscle mass was defined as having appendicular skeletal muscle mass corrected for body weight less than 1 standard deviation of the young reference group aged 20 to 39 years in KNHANES IV and V. To identify the dietary pattern using factor analysis, 24-h recall data was used. RESULTS: The prevalence of lower lean muscle mass was 31.3% in this study population. Four dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis; ‘Diverse’, ‘Western’, ‘Traditional’, and ‘Snacks and beverages’. The ‘Western’ pattern, highest factor loadings for flour and bread, potatoes, red meat, processed meat, eggs, and cheese, was significantly associated with a high (60%) risk of lower lean muscle mass (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.60 [1.07–2.39], P for trend = 0.01) after adjustments for potential covariates. The other 3 dietary patterns were not associated with lower lean muscle mass. CONCLUSIONS The study findings suggest that the ‘Western’ dietary pattern that includes flour and bread, potatoes, red meat, processed meat, eggs, and cheese, may be associated with a higher risk of lower lean muscle mass in Korean postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In a healthy person, from 35 years of age, there is an annual loss of muscle mass at the rate of 1–2% and is associated with a decline in the quality of life. This study aimed to identify the particular dietary patterns associated with the risk of lower lean muscle mass in Korean postmenopausal women. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) is a population-based, continuous cross-sectional annual survey. The participants of the KNHANES IV (2008–2009) and V (2010–2011) were considered for this study. The study sample consisted of 1548 postmenopausal women, aged 45–86 years. Lower lean muscle mass was defined as having appendicular skeletal muscle mass corrected for body weight less than 1 standard deviation of the young reference group aged 20 to 39 years in KNHANES IV and V. To identify the dietary pattern using factor analysis, 24-h recall data was used. RESULTS: The prevalence of lower lean muscle mass was 31.3% in this study population. Four dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis; ‘Diverse’, ‘Western’, ‘Traditional’, and ‘Snacks and beverages’. The ‘Western’ pattern, highest factor loadings for flour and bread, potatoes, red meat, processed meat, eggs, and cheese, was significantly associated with a high (60%) risk of lower lean muscle mass (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] = 1.60 [1.07–2.39], P for trend = 0.01) after adjustments for potential covariates. The other 3 dietary patterns were not associated with lower lean muscle mass. CONCLUSIONS The study findings suggest that the ‘Western’ dietary pattern that includes flour and bread, potatoes, red meat, processed meat, eggs, and cheese, may be associated with a higher risk of lower lean muscle mass in Korean postmenopausal women.

Purpose: DNA damage and repair responses are induced by metabolic diseases and environmental stress. The balance of DNA repair response and the antioxidant system play a role in modulating the entire body’s health. This study uses a high-fat and high-calorie (HFC) drink to examine the new roles of a plant-based multivitamin/mineral supplement with phytonutrients (PMP) for regulating the antioxidant system and cellular DNA repair signaling in the body resulting from metabolic stress. Methods: In a double-blind, randomized, parallel-arm, and placebo-controlled trial, healthy adults received a capsule containing either a PMP supplement (n = 12) or a placebo control (n = 12) for 8 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected at 0, 1, and 3 hours after consuming a HFC drink (900 kcal). The blood samples were analyzed for the following oxidative stress makers: areas under the curve reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), erythrocytes MDA, urinary MDA, oxidized low-density lipoprotein, and the glutathione:oxidized glutathione ratio at the time points. We further examined the related protein levels of DNA repair signaling (pCHK1 (Serine 345), p-P53 (Serine 15), and γH2AX expression) in the plasma of subjects to evaluate the time-dependent effects of a HFC drink. Results: In a previous study, we showed that PMP supplementation for eight weeks reduces the ROS and endogenous DNA damage in human blood plasma. Results of the current study further show that PMP supplementation is significantly correlated with antioxidant defense. Compared to the placebo samples, the blood plasma obtained after PMP supplementation showed enhanced DNA damage response genes such as pCHK1(Serine 345) (a transducer of DNA response) and γH2AX (a hallmark of DNA damage) during the 8 weeks trial on metabolic challenges. Conclusion Our results indicate that PMP supplementation for 8 weeks enhances the antioxidant system against oxidative stress and prevents DNA damage signaling in humans.

PURPOSE: Ginger (Zingiber officinale) has been widely used as an antiemetic agent. This systematic review was aimed at evaluation of the effect of dried ginger powder supplementation on improvement of nausea and vomiting associated with early pregnancy or motion sickness. METHODS: We searched Pubmed, Cochrane, Science Direct, and KISS (Korean studies Information Service System) using keywords such as ginger or Zingiber officinale in combination with nausea, vomiting, motion sickness, or pregnancy, published in March 2013. RESULTS: The strength of the evidence was evaluated on the selected 12 RCTs (randomized controlled trials). Eleven trials including 2,630 subjects showed that supplementation with dried ginger powder resulted in significant improvement of nausea or vomiting related to early pregnancy or motion sickness. Among the nine studies including 809 women in early pregnancy before 20 weeks of gestation, ginger supplementation was superior to placebo in five studies (n = 305), and as effective as positive control (vitamin B6 or dimenhydrinate) in four studies (n = 504). Ginger intake significantly reduced the episodes or severity of vomiting related to motion sickness compared to placebo or showed the same effect as several antiemetic drugs in two studies (n = 1,821). CONCLUSION: Our findings added evidence indicating that ginger powder supplements might improve the symptoms of nausea or vomiting related to early pregnancy or motion sickness without significant adverse events.
Antiemetics ; Female ; Ginger* ; Humans ; Information Services ; Morning Sickness ; Motion Sickness* ; Nausea* ; Pregnancy* ; Vomiting*

PURPOSE: Anthocyanins from purple sweet potato (PSP) have been investigated in vitro and in animals and found to have a protective effect against oxidative hepatic damage. In this study, we investigated that aqueous extract of PSP can ameliorate the dysfunction of lipid metabolism in mice fed a high fat/cholesterol diet. METHODS: Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 8) and fed one of the following diets for 8 weeks; normal fat (NF) diet; high fat/cholesterol (HFC) diet; HFC with 1.25% PSP (HFPL) diet; HFC with 2.5% PSP (HFPM) diet; HFC with 5% PSP (HFPH) diet. RESULTS: Non-alcoholic fatty liver was manifested in the HFC group by showing increased levels in plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), increased level of TC and presence of many large lipid droplets in the liver, and increased fat cell size in the HFC group compared with the NF group. However, administration of HFC induced a significant decrease in food intake, resulting in decrease in fat mass. Coadministration of PSP did not lead to reversal of body weight changes, ALT activity, and lipid levels in plasma and the liver, but suppressed excess enlargement of the fat cell size through increasing carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) gene expression in the liver. Accordingly, the number of fat droplets in the liver was reduced in PSP administered groups. CONCLUSION: Taken together, these results suggest that PSP may have a protective effect on the dysfunction of lipid metabolism. Conduct of further studies on the coordinated regulation of PSP for lipid metabolic homeostasis at the liver-adipose tissue axis is needed.
Adipocytes ; Alanine Transaminase ; Animals ; Anthocyanins ; Axis, Cervical Vertebra ; Body Weight Changes ; Carnitine ; Cholesterol ; Cholesterol, LDL ; Diet ; Eating ; Fatty Liver* ; Gene Expression ; Homeostasis ; Ipomoea batatas* ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver ; Mice* ; Plasma

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential fatty acids because humans cannot synthesize them de novo and must obtain them in their diet. Fish and fish oil are rich sources of omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Significant evidence of the beneficial role of dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids in blood flow has been reported and putative mechanisms for improvement of blood flow include anti-thrombotic effects, lowered blood pressure, improved endothelial function, and anti-atherogenic effects. Edible oils containing omega-3 fatty acids were registered as functional ingredients in the Korea Health Functional Food Code. Although omega-3 fatty acids have been evaluated by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) based on scientific evidence, periodic re-evaluation may be needed because emerging data related to omega-3 fatty acids have accumulated. Therefore, in this study, we re-evaluated scientific evidence for the effect of omega-3 fatty acids as a functional ingredient in health functional food on improvement of blood flow. A comprehensive literature search was conducted for collection of relevant human studies using the Medline and Cochrane, KISS, and IBIDS databases for the years 1955-2012. Search keywords were used by combination of terms related to omega-3 fatty acids and blood flow. The search was limited to human studies published in Korean, English, and Japanese. Using the KFDA's evidence based evaluation system for scientific evaluation of health claims, 112 human studies were identified and reviewed in order to evaluate the strength of the evidence supporting a relation between omega-3 fatty acids and blood flow. Among 112 studies, significant effects on improvement of blood flow were reported in 84 studies and the daily intake amount was ranged from 0.1 to 15 g. According to this methodology of systematic review, we concluded that there was possible evidence to support a relation between omega-3 fatty acid intake and blood flow. However, because inconsistent results have recently been reported, future studies should be monitored.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Blood Pressure ; Diet ; Eicosapentaenoic Acid ; Fatty Acids, Essential ; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 ; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated ; Functional Food ; Humans ; Korea ; Oils ; United States Food and Drug Administration