Rapportage onderzoeksproject Genieten aan tafel : een toegepast onderzoek naar maaltijdbeleving in verpleeghuizen

Er komen steeds meer ouderen in Nederland. Zij doen over het algemeen een groter beroep op de gezondheidszorg, wat tot stijgende zorgkosten leidt en een lagere kwaliteit van leven. Eten en drinken speelt een belangrijke rol bij de preventie van ziekte. Hoewel er steeds meer aandacht is voor de voedingsstatus van ouderen en screeningsprocedures steeds meer toegepast worden, laten de laatste metingen in Nederland zien dat 17% van de cliënten in instellingen ondervoed is en dat 28% risico loopt op ondervoeding. Om ziekte en daarmee verhoogde zorgkosten te voorkomen, en om de kwaliteit van leven te optimaliseren, is preventie van ondervoeding bij ouderen noodzakelijk. Het onderzoek ‘Genieten aan tafel’ beoogde de maaltijdbeleving van verpleeghuiscliënten te optimaliseren, met als doel om eetlust, voedingsstatus, functionele status en kwaliteit van leven te verbeteren en zo zorgkosten te verminderen

IPP-rich milk protein hydrolysate lowers blood pressure in subjects with stage 1 hypertension, a randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Milk derived peptides have been identified as potential antihypertensive agents. The primary objective was to investigate the effectiveness of IPP-rich milk protein hydrolysates (MPH) on reducing blood pressure (BP) as well as to investigate safety parameters and tolerability. The secondary objective was to confirm or falsify ACE inhibition as the mechanism underlying BP reductions by measuring plasma renin activity and angiotensin I and II.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, double blind, crossover study including 70 Caucasian subjects with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension. Study treatments consisted of daily consumption of two capsules MPH1 (each containing 7.5 mg Isoleucine-Proline-Proline; IPP), MPH2 (each containing 6.6 mg Methionine-Alanine-Proline, 2.3 mg Leucine-Proline-Proline, 1.8 mg IPP), or placebo (containing cellulose) for 4 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In subjects with stage 1 hypertension, MPH1 lowered systolic BP by 3.8 mm Hg (P = 0.0080) and diastolic BP by 2.3 mm Hg (P = 0.0065) compared with placebo. In prehypertensive subjects, the differences in BP between MPH1 and placebo were not significant. MPH2 did not change BP significantly compared with placebo in stage I hypertensive or prehypertensive subjects. Intake of MPHs was well tolerated and safe. No treatment differences in hematology, clinical laboratory parameters or adverse effects were observed. No significant differences between MPHs and placebo were found in plasma renin activity, or angiotensin I and II.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>MPH1, containing IPP and no minerals, exerts clinically relevant BP lowering effects in subjects with stage 1 hypertension. It may be included in lifestyle changes aiming to prevent or reduce high BP.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00471263</p

Assessment of inflammatory resilience in healthy subjects using dietary lipid and glucose challenges

Background Resilience or the ability of our body to cope with daily-life challenges has been proposed as a new definition of health, with restoration of homeostasis as target resultant of various physiological stress responses. Challenge models may thus be a sensitive measure to study the body’s health. The objective of this study was to select a dietary challenge model for the assessment of inflammatory resilience. Meals are a challenge to metabolic homeostasis and are suggested to affect inflammatory pathways, yet data in literature are limited and inconsistent. Method The kinetic responses of three different dietary challenges and a water control challenge were assessed on various metabolic and inflammatory markers in 14 healthy males and females using a full cross-over study design. The dietary challenges included glucose (75 g glucose in 300 ml water), lipids (200 ml whipping cream) and a mix of glucose and lipids (same amounts as above), respectively. Blood samples were collected at baseline and at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 h after consumption of the treatment products. Inflammation (IFN¿, IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, TNF-a CRP, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, SAA, E-selectin, P-selectin, thrombomodulin, leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes) and clinical (e.g. glucose, insulin, triglycerides) markers as well as gene expression in blood cells and plasma oxylipin profiles were measured. Results All three dietary challenges induced changes related to metabolic control such as increases in glucose and insulin after the glucose challenge and increases in triglycerides after the lipid challenge. In addition, differences between the challenges were observed for precursor oxylipins and some downstream metabolites including DiHETrE’s and HODE’s. However, none of the dietary challenges induced an acute inflammatory response, except for a modest increase in circulating leukocyte numbers after the glucose and mix challenges. Furthermore, subtle, yet statistically significant increases in vascular inflammatory markers (sICAM-1 and sVCAM-1) were found after the mix challenge, when compared to the water control challenge. Conclusions This study shows that dietary glucose and lipid challenges did not induce a strong acute inflammatory response in healthy subjects, as quantified by an accurate and broad panel of parameters

Ex situ diet influences the bacterial community associated with the skin of red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas)

Amphibians support symbiotic bacterial communities on their skin that protect against a range of infectious pathogens, including the amphibian chytrid fungus. The conditions under which amphibians are maintained in captivity (e.g. diet, substrate, enrichment) in ex situ conservation programmes may affect the composition of the bacterial community. In addition, ex situ amphibian populations may support different bacterial communities in comparison to in situ populations of the same species. This could have implications for the suitability of populations intended for reintroduction, as well as the success of probiotic bacterial inoculations intended to provide amphibians with a bacterial community that resists invasion by the chytrid fungus. We aimed to investigate the effect of a carotenoid-enriched diet on the culturable bacterial community associated with captive red-eyed tree frogs (Agalychnis callidryas) and make comparisons to bacteria isolated from a wild population from the Chiquibul Rainforest in Belize. We successfully showed carotenoid availability influences the overall community composition, species richness and abundance of the bacterial community associated with the skin of captive frogs, with A. callidryas fed a carotenoid-enriched diet supporting a greater species richness and abundance of bacteria than those fed a carotenoid-free diet. Our results suggest that availability of carotenoids in the diet of captive frogs is likely to be beneficial for the bacterial community associated with the skin. We also found wild A. callidryas hosted more than double the number of different bacterial species than captive frogs with very little commonality between species. This suggests frogs in captivity may support a reduced and diverged bacterial community in comparison to wild populations of the same species, which could have particular relevance for ex situ conservation projects

Lactotripeptides and antihypertensive effects: A critical review

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a significant health problem worldwide. Typically, lifestyle changes, including adopting a healthy diet, are recommended for people with an elevated blood pressure. Lactotripeptides are bioactive milk peptides with potential antihypertensive properties in man. These peptides, as part of a food product or as nutraceutical, may contribute to the prevention and treatment of hypertension. This paper reviews the current evidence of the blood pressure control properties of lactotripeptides in man. Blood pressure-lowering effects of lactotripeptides are typically measured after 4-6 weeks of treatment. However, in some cases, a blood pressure response has been observed after 1-2 weeks. Maximum blood pressure reductions approximate 13 mmHg (systolic blood pressure) and 8 mmHg (diastolic blood pressure) after active treatment compared with placebo, and are likely reached after 8-12 weeks of treatment. Effective dosages of lactotripeptides range from 3.07 to 52.5 mg/d. Evidence indicates that lactotripeptides are only effective at elevated blood pressure; no further lowering of normal blood pressure has been observed. Concomitant intake of antihypertensive medication does not seem to influence the potency of lactotripeptides to lower blood pressure. Similarly, ethnicity has not been found to influence the extent of lactotripeptide-induced blood pressure lowering. Based on the currently available data, lactotripeptides appear to be safe and effective. Thus, they can be part of a healthy diet and lifestyle to prevent or reduce high blood pressure

Nutritional skin care : health effects of micronutrients and fatty acids

Human skin is continuously exposed to internal and external influences that may alter its condition and functioning. As a consequence, the skin may undergo alterations leading to photoaging, inflammation, immune dysfunction, imbalanced epidermal homeostasis, or other skin disorders. Modern nutritional science is developing new insights into the relation between food intake and health, and effects of food ingredients may prove to be biologically relevant for optimal skin condition. The objective of this review was to evaluate the present knowledge about the interrelation of nutrients and skin, particularly the photoprotective effects of nutrients, the influences of nutrients on cutaneous immune responses, and the therapeutic actions of nutrients in skin disorders. The nutrients of focus were vitamins, carotenoids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Supplementation with these nutrients was shown to provide protection against ultraviolet light, although the sun-protection factor was relatively small compared with that of topical sunscreens. An increase in delayed-type hypersensitivity skin responses after supplementation with nutrients has proven beneficial, especially in elderly people, and may boost cell-mediated immunity. Dietary consumption of certain plants or fish oil is known to modulate the balance of lipid inflammatory mediators and, therefore, is valuable in the treatment of inflammatory skin disorders. It was concluded that nutritional factors exert promising actions on the skin, but information on the effects of low-to-moderate doses of nutrients consumed long term by healthy individuals is obviously lacking, as are data on direct effects on basal skin properties, including hydration, sebum production, and elasticity. Chemicals/CAS: Carotenoids, 36-88-4; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Micronutrients; Vitamin

Temperature-sensitive regulation of epidermal morphogenesis and the expression of cornified envelope precursors by EGF and TGFα

Epidermis reconstructed on de-epidermized dermis was used to investigate the effects of growth factors and culture temperature on epidermal morphogenesis and the expression of cornified envelope precursors. Cultures grown at 33°C or 37°C in the absence or presence of transforming growth factor alpha (TGFα), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), or insulin-like growth factor (IGF) show a similar morphology to that of native epidermis. Loricrin and SPRR2 are expressed in the stratum granulosum and SPRR3 is absent. Cultures grown in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-supplemented medium at 37°C have a normal morphology, whereas cultures grown at 33°C have a disorganized basal layer, no stratum granulosum, and nuclei are present in the stratum corneum. Loricrin is absent, and SPRR2 and SPRR3 expression extend into the spinous layers. Irrespective of the culture condition used, involucrin is aberrantly expressed in all suprabasal layers. EGF stimulated keratinocyte proliferation and migration to a greater degree than TGFα. Epidermis reconstructed on fibroblast-populated collagen gels at 33°C led to the same disturbances in keratinocyte differentiation as seen in cultures grown on de-epidermized dermis at 33°C in the presence of EGF, whereas parallel cultures grown at 37°C have a similar morphology to that of native epidermis

Bioavailability of tryptophan from a single oral dose of a trytophan-enriched peptide mixture in healthy men

The aim of the study was to investigate the bioavailability of tryptophan (Trp) from a Trp-enriched peptide mixture in healthy men. A second objective was to investigate the effect of this Trp-enriched protein hydrolysate on potential parameters of serotonergic activity. serum serotonim melatonin and prolactin and urinary 5-hydroxyindol-acetic acid and 6-sulfatoxymelatonin. Glucose and insulin were measured as the placebo consisted of orange juice with added glucose. The study was a randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled, four-way crossover trial in eight healthy male subjects. Treatments consisted of a single oral load of a Trp-enriched protein hydrolysate containing 500 mg L-Trp, 500 mg L-Trp plus addition of a mixture of amino acids having the same composition as in the hydrolysate, 500 mg L-Trp, and placebo. Before and after ingestion blood and urine were collected during a period of 4 hours. The Trp-enriched protein hydrolysate increased the plasma Trp/LNAA ratio by about 70% at 60 to 90 min after ingestion. AM three Trp treatments induced a comparable plasma Trp-response demonstrating that Trp is readily available for the body independent of whether it was peptide-bonded or in free amino acid form. None of the Trp treatments affected serum serotonim prolactin, melatonin and insulin concentrations, as well as urinary 5-hydroxyindol-acetic acid and 64-sulfatoxymelatonin concentrations during the 4-hour measurement period in the morning. Copyright © 2004 by New Century Health Publishers, LLC