A semisynthetic diet containing adequate amounts of vitamin E and 10% (w/w) of a mixture of polyunsaturated oils subjected to heating and characterized by elevated indexes of thermal alteration ...(polar component, dimer triglyceride, altered triglyceride contents and reduced alpha-tocopherol levels) was fed to growing male rats for a period of eight weeks. It resulted in a selective alteration of the production of vascular eicosanoids (elevation of platelet thromboxane formation and decrease of vascular prostacyclin release) compared to the values found in rats fed a diet containing a fresh mixture of polyunsaturated oils. Major nutritional parameters, plasma lipids and the fatty acid profiles of plasma, liver and heart lipids were not different in the two groups of animals. Supplementation of an excess vitamin E (300 mg/kg) to the diet containing heated fat neutralized the adverse effects of heated fat on vascular eicosanoid production.
The effects of regular intensive exercise training on immune system homeostasis and the potential value of treatment with an immunostimulating agent were assessed in this randomized, double-blind, ...placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. A total of 60 athletes were studied over a 3-month period of regular intensive physical activity. After 1 and 3 months there were significant decreases in the immunoglobulin levels in the whole athlete population compared with baseline values. Specifically there were significant decreases in immunoglobulin M and immunoglobulin G (G1 and G2 subclasses). There was also a significant decrease in natural killer cells and a slight but significant increase in B and T lymphocytes. In the thymomodulin-treated group, unlike the placebo group, there was no significant decrease in the immunoglobulin G2 subclass and there was a significant increase in the T-helper cell subpopulation. The clinical relevance of these immunological findings should be evaluated in larger clinical and epidemiological studies.
