Adequate Vegetable Intake Improves Metabolic Indices in Healthy Japanese Participants: A Randomized Crossover Study.

Aim: We aimed to elucidate the effect of a healthy diet containing adequate amounts of protein and vegetables on metabolic indices.

Methods: In this randomized crossover study, twenty-two healthy Japanese participants ingested two different test meals: fish diet (F) or fish diet with adequate vegetable content (FV). Each 5-day diet load test was separated by a washout period of at least seven days.

Effect of Dietary Counseling on Patients with Asymptomatic Hyperuricemia.

In Japan, hyperuricemia is on the rise. The guideline for the management of hyperuricemia and gout recommends lifestyle changes before beginning drug therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of dietary counseling following the guideline.

The Urinary Excretion of Magnesium as an Effective Magnesium Deficiency State Indicator: A Controlled Intervention Trial.

With the western influence in our diets, food consumption has changed, and our magnesium (Mg) intake is no longer optimal. Serum Mg (S-Mg) level is currently used as an indicator of Mg deficiency and is strictly regulated via compensatory mechanisms. It is believed that a 24-h urine collection can be used to evaluate potential Mg deficiency.

Acute effect of fructose, sucrose, and isomaltulose on uric acid metabolism in healthy participants.

Fructose is associated with hyperuricemia and gout development. Focusing on fructose and fructose-containing disaccharides, we investigated the effects of three different types of carbohydrates (fructose, sucrose, and isomaltulose) on uric acid metabolism and gene expression profiling in peripheral white blood cells. In a randomized crossover study, ten healthy participants ingested test drinks of fructose, sucrose, and isomaltulose, each containing 25 g of fructose.

Cut-off values for skeletal muscle strength and physical functions in Japanese elderly with walking difficulty.

Age-related changes in muscle strength and physical functions, and the association between vitamin D status and skeletal muscle functions were investigated in 36 men (21-90 years old) and 52 women (21-104 years old). Significant ageing-related decreases in several skeletal muscle functions and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels were observed in both men and women. Cut-off values for the Timed up and go (TUG) test, walking speed, handgrip strength and Barthel Index (BI) detecting walking difficulties in the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were 11.

Acute effect of green tea catechins on uric acid metabolism after alcohol ingestion in Japanese men.

Introduction/objectives: Alcohol consumption is associated with hyperuricemia and gout. Previous studies have indicated a role for green tea catechins in uric acid (UA) metabolism. This study aimed to elucidate the acute effect of green tea catechins in terms of enhancing urinary excretion of UA and xanthine/hypoxanthine (Xa/HX; UA precursors) after alcohol ingestion.

Effect of cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate on postprandial glycemia, insulin, and incretin secretion in healthy participants.

Objectives: There is substantial interest in using dark chocolate to prevent postprandial hyperglycemia. We investigated the effects of cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate on postprandial glycemic and insulinemic responses and whether cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate increases glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion.

Methods: In a stratified, randomized, crossover study, 48 healthy participants ingested either water (W) or cacao polyphenol-rich chocolate plus water (C) 15 min before a 50 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Greater consumption of noodle is associated with higher serum phosphorus levels: a cross-sectional study on healthy participants.

Higher serum phosphorus levels are associated with mortality and cardiovascular events, both in healthy individuals and those with chronic kidney disease. Owing to the increasing westernization of eating habits, a decrease in rice consumption and an increase in the intake of bread and noodle products were observed in Japan. This cross-sectional study investigated the influence of staple food (rice, bread, and noodle) consumption patterns on the serum levels of phosphorus and phosphate-regulating factors in 103 healthy young participants.

Relationship between age-related decreases in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and skeletal muscle mass in Japanese women.

A clearer understanding of skeletal muscle mass (SMM) in middle-aged and elderly individuals is important for maintaining functionality. In the present study, age-related changes in SMM, the threshold of SMM with walking difficulty, intestinal nutrient absorption rate, and various serum factors were examined in Japanese populations of different ages. We used 24-h creatinine excretion as a measure of total body SMM.

Abnormal glucose tolerance in a patient with pheochromocytoma and ACTH-independent subclinical Cushing's syndrome involving the same adrenal gland.

Coexistence of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH)-independent subclinical Cushing’s syndrome (SCS) with pheochromocytoma involving the same adrenal tumor is rare. Moreover, no previous reports have compared pre- and postoperative insulin sensitivities in these cases. A 74-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with hyperhidrosis, dry mouth, and weight loss.

Effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (dapagliflozin) on food intake and plasma fibroblast growth factor 21 levels in type 2 diabetes patients.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes induced compensatory hyperphagia by reducing fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) secretion. This prospective study was performed in 26 type 2 diabetes patients treated with dapagliflozin (5 mg/day). Hormonal factors associated with glucose metabolism, dietary intakes estimated by brief self-administered diet-history questionnaire (BDHQ), body weight (BW), and body composition were measured at baseline, and 4 and 12 weeks after dapagliflozin.

Habitual confectionery intake is associated with serum phosphorus levels : A cross-sectional study on healthy subjects.

Hyperphosphatemia is associated with an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Recently, it has been shown that high serum phosphorus levels are associated with increased cardiovascular events in healthy subjects, but the dietary factors determining serum phosphorus level have not been fully investigated. The study investigated the influence of habitual dietary factors on serum phosphorus levels in healthy young participants.

Serum lactate levels are associated with serum alanine aminotransferase and total bilirubin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional study.

Aims: It was recently reported that lactate acts as a metabolic mediator and rises in the diabetic state, but the physiological effects are as yet poorly understood. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the significance of serum lactate elevation in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

Methods: Fasting serum lactate levels, hematological and inflammatory serum markers and anthropometric parameters, obtained employing bioelectric impedance analysis, were measured in 103 patients with T2DM.

Green tea extracts reduce leukocyte cell-Derived chemotaxin 2 and selenoprotein P levels in the livers of C57BL/6J mice fed a high-fat diet.

Epidemiological studies suggest that green tea extracts (GTEs), including catechins such as epigallocatechin gallate and epicatechin gallate, have a beneficial effect on obesity, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammation. Although several studies have shown that catechins directly modulate the cellular and molecular alterations in the liver tissue, the contributions of indirect mechanisms underlying these systemic effects of catechins remain unclear. In this study, we report that, in the C57BL/6J mouse liver, GTEs reduce high-fat diet-induced increases in the levels of hepatokines, liver-derived secretary proteins such as leukocyte cell-derived chemotaxin 2 and selenoprotein P production, which have been shown to induce systemic adverse effects, including several metabolic diseases.

The Effects of Long-Term Dietary Therapy on Patients with Hypertriglyceridemia.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of diet on serum lipids and to assess the effectiveness of long-term dietary therapy for hypertriglyceridemia.

Methods: Seventy-nine patients (34 males and 45 females) with hypertriglyceridemia were enrolled and underwent dietary counseling for 12 months based on the following three recommendations: (1) reduce carbohydrate intake, (2) increase n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake, and (3) limit alcohol drinking. We examined the effect of dietary therapy for 6 months on serum triglyceride (TG) levels and also compared the effectiveness of dietary and combined drug therapies on preventing arteriosclerotic disease from 7 to 12 months.

Green tea extracts ameliorate high-fat diet-induced muscle atrophy in senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 mice.

Muscle atrophy (loss of skeletal muscle mass) causes progressive deterioration of skeletal function. Recently, excessive intake of fats was suggested to induce insulin resistance, followed by muscle atrophy. Green tea extracts (GTEs), which contain polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate, have beneficial effects on obesity, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance, but their effects against muscle atrophy are still unclear.

Skeletal muscle mass of old Japanese women suffering from walking difficulty in nursing home.

By using 24 hour urinary creatinine levels, skeletal muscle mass (kg), its rate (%) of body weight and creatinine height index (%) were determined in old Japanese women suffering from walking difficulty in nursing home and compare with those of young university students. Those of old subjects showed approximately 30-50%, 36-44% and 44-46% of young subjects, respectively. It is suggested that these values are important and useful biomarkers for the planning and the achievement of rehabilitation program for the maintaining and restoring skeletal muscle mass and for the careful support by registered care workers to aged persons.

The age-related changes of dietary phosphate responsiveness in plasma 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels and renal Cyp27b1 and Cyp24a1 gene expression is associated with renal α-Klotho gene expression in mice.

In this study, we investigated the relationship between age-related changes in renal α-Klotho gene expression, vitamin D metabolism and the responsiveness of dietary phosphate in 1, 2 and 13 month-old mice fed a high phosphate (phosphate 1.2%) diet or low phosphate (phosphate 0.02%) diet for 5 days.

In Vivo Application of Proton-Electron Double-Resonance Imaging.

Significance: Proton-electron double-resonance imaging (PEDRI) employs electron paramagnetic resonance irradiation with low-field magnetic resonance imaging so that the electron spin polarization is transferred to nearby protons, resulting in higher signals. PEDRI provides information about free radical distribution and, indirectly, about the local microenvironment such as partial pressure of oxygen (pO), tissue permeability, redox status, and acid-base balance. Recent Advances: Local acid-base balance can be imaged by exploiting the different resonance frequency of radical probes between R and RH forms.

Availability of 24-h urine collection method on dietary phosphorus intake estimation.

Accurate assessment of dietary phosphorus intake is necessary to prevent hyperphosphatemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the 24-h urine collection method for estimation of phosphate intake in healthy males. Two experiments, a 1-day and a 5-day loading test, were performed.

Effects of gender and body weight on fibroblast growth factor 23 responsiveness to estimated dietary phosphorus.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a molecule involved in regulating phosphorus homeostasis. Although some studies indicated an association between serum FGF23 levels and sex, the association has not been fully investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether sex could influence FGF23 responsiveness to dietary phosphorus intake in healthy individuals.

Morphological, biochemical, transcriptional and epigenetic responses to fasting and refeeding in intestine of Xenopus laevis.

Background: Amphibians are able to survive for several months without food. However, it is unclear what molecular mechanisms underlie their survival. To characterize the intestinal responses to fasting and refeeding, we investigated morphological, biochemical, transcriptional and epigenetic changes in the intestine from adult male Xenopus laevis.