Uncategorized Archives - Page 4 of 6

Higher omega-3 fatty acid intakes improve many aspects of liver health in individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) involves the excess accumulation of liver fat in the absence of alcohol consumption. It is defined by the presence of fat in more than 5% of liver cells. NAFLD is now one of the most common liver diseases worldwide. In Western countries and some regions of China, the prevalence of NAFLD is 15–39%.

Progression of NAFLD is associated with many factors. Including insulin resistance, oxidative stress, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. NAFLD is considered to be associated with an excess of omega-6 fatty acids and a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. Unchecked, NAFLD can lead to significant liver damage, cirrhosis and death.

A meta-analysis was published in Gastroenterology Research and Practice. The researchers selected ten randomized controlled studies. The studies were on the effects of omega-3 fatty acids on participants with NAFLD or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (a more serious condition that can develop from NAFLD). The average dose of omega-3 was 2.85 grams per day, consumed for an average of 12 months.

Analysis of the trials revealed over three times the odds of improvement in liver fat levels in association with omega-3 intake in comparison to control subjects. It was also linked to greater reductions in the liver enzyme GGT (which is elevated in liver damage), and improvements in both high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride levels when compared to control subjects.

Since there is presently no registered drug for the treatment of NAFLD, researchers stated that intake of omega-3 fatty acids may be a new treatment option for NAFLD.

Lu W, Li S, Li J, et al. Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2016;2016:1459790.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston studied 12 healthy adults who were randomized to read either a light-emitting eBook or a printed book in dim room light. The participants in each group read for 4 hours prior to bedtime for 5 consecutive evenings. At the end of the 5 days, the subjects switched their assignments. Blood samples were taken during the study and evaluated for melatonin levels. The researchers also documented sleep latency, time and efficiency using polysomnography, a diagnostic tool used in sleep studies.

The reading of eBooks before sleep was associated with a longer time needed to fall asleep and less rapid eye movement (REM) in comparison to reading a printed book. Printed book reading resulted in no suppression of melatonin, but eBook readers experienced an average melatonin suppression of over 55%. In addition, compared to the reading of printed books, the onset of melatonin release in response to dim light occurred 1.5 hours later the day following reading of an eBook. Individuals reading the e-Books also reported being more tired and taking longer to become alert the next morning.

Unlike natural light, electronic devices emit a short-wavelength-enriched light that is more concentrated in blue light. These results demonstrate that evening exposure to light-emitting electronics such as eBooks may delay the circadian clock and suppress the release of melatonin, and this may have a negative impact on sleep, performance, health, and safety.

Chang AM et al. Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Jan 27;112(4):1232-7.

Short periods of intense exercise are known to suppress hunger through appetite regulating hormones. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition compared the effects of high-intensity exercise on central (brain) response to visual food stimuli.

The researchers recruited 15 healthy lean men in their early twenties. The study participants completed two 60 minute tests: exercise (running at 70% maximum aerobic capacity) and a resting control. After each test, images of high- and low- calorie foods were viewed and the brain response to the foods was measured using an MRI.

After the exercise session, thirst and core body temperature were increased while appetite response was significantly suppressed. Exercise significantly suppressed ghrelin (an appetite stimulating hormone) and enhanced the release of peptide YY (an appetite reducing hormone). When compared to the resting control, neural (brain) response in the brain’s reward related regions were stimulated in response to viewing the images of low-calorie foods, but suppressed upon viewing images of high-calorie foods.

This study found that high intensity exercise increases neural responses in reward-related regions of the brain in response to images of low-calorie foods, and suppresses activation during the viewing of high-calorie foods. These central responses are associated with exercise-induced changes in peripheral signals related to hydration and appetite-regulation.

Exercise is a well-known important component of a healthy lifestyle. This study provides further evidence that exercise can do more than just providing a caloric deficit, it may also influence you to make healthier food choices.

Crabtree DR, et al. The effects of high-intensity exercise on neural responses to images of food. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Feb;99(2):258-67.

The results of a clinical trial published in Arthritis Research and Therapy suggest that supplementing with glucosamine and taking regular walks can improve pain, physical function, and overall activity levels in adults with mild to moderate knee or hip osteoarthritis.

Thirty-six low-activity participants (aged 42 to 73 years) were provided with 1500 mg glucosamine sulfate per day for 6 weeks. At the end of six weeks, the participants began a 12-week progressive walking program (while continuing to take glucosamine.)

Study subjects were given a pedometer to monitor step counts. They were then randomized into two groups – one to walk 3 days per week, the other to walk 5 days per week. The length of the walk was gradually increased over the course of the program, with 6000 per day being the goal by the end of the 12-week period. Physical activity levels, physical function, and arthritis symptoms were analyzed at the beginning and at 6, 12, 18 and 24 weeks.

Physical activity levels, physical function, and pain assessment scores improved during the first 6 weeks of the study (glucosamine supplementation only.) Between the start of the walking program (week 6) and the final follow-up (week 24), further improvements were seen, though most improvements happened between weeks 6 and 12. No significant differences were observed between participants who participated in the 3 and 5 day per week programs.

In people with mild to moderate hip or knee osteoarthritis, walking a minimum of 3,000 steps (approximately 30 minutes) at least 3 days per week, in combination with glucosamine sulfate, may reduce some symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Ng N, et al. Efficacy of a progressive walking program and glucosamine sulphate supplementation on osteoarthritic symptoms of the hip and knee: a feasibility trial. 2010. Arthritis Research & Therapy 12(1):R25.

A study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine examined the effects of glucosamine supplementation on functional ability and chronic knee pain in individuals with previous cartilage damage or osteoarthritis.

Subjects were randomly supplemented with either glucosamine or placebo for 12 weeks at a dose of 2,000 mg per day. Four testing sessions were conducted during the study. Changes in knee pain and function were determined by clinical and functional tests (joint line palpation, a 3 meter “duck walk,” and a repeated walking stair climb). Additionally, two different questionnaires were used to evaluate changes in pain.

The glucosamine group was found to have significantly better quality of life scores at weeks 8 and 12 than the placebo group. Based on self-report evaluations of changes during the 12 week supplementation period, 88% of the glucosamine group reported some degree of improvement in their knee pain versus only 17% in the placebo group.

These results suggest that glucosamine supplementation can provide some degree of pain relief and improved function in individuals who experience chronic knee pain due to previous cartilage damage or osteoarthritis. The results also suggest that at a dosage of 2,000 mg per day, the majority of improvements are apparent after eight weeks.

Br J Sports Med 2003 Feb;37(1):45-9