Obesity is associated with increased risk for chronic diseases, and affects both developed and developing nations. Yogurt is a nutrient-dense food that may benefit individuals with lactose ...intolerance, constipation and diarrheal diseases, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Emerging evidence suggests that yogurt consumption might also improve the health of obese individuals. Obesity is often accompanied by chronic, low-grade inflammation perpetuated by adipose tissue and the gut. In the gut, obesity-associated dysregulation of microbiota and impaired gut barrier function may increase endotoxin exposure. Intestinal barrier function can be compromised by pathogens, inflammatory cytokines, endocannabinoids, diet, exercise, and gastrointestinal peptides. Yogurt consumption may improve gut health and reduce chronic inflammation by enhancing innate and adaptive immune responses, intestinal barrier function, lipid profiles, and by regulating appetite. While this evidence suggests that yogurt consumption is beneficial for obese individuals, randomized-controlled trials are needed to further support this hypothesis.
ABSTRACT
Despite increasingly precise observations and sophisticated theoretical models, the discrepancy between measurements of H0 from the cosmic microwave background or from baryon acoustic ...oscillations combined with big bang nucleosynthesis versus those from local distance ladder probes – commonly known as the ‘H0 tension’ – continues to perplex the scientific community. To address this tension, early dark energy (EDE) models have been proposed as alternatives to Lambda cold dark matter, as they can change the observed sound horizon and the inferred Hubble constant from measurements based on this. In this paper, we investigate the use of Bayesian model averaging (BMA) to evaluate EDE as a solution to the H0 tension. BMA consists of assigning a prior to the model and deriving a posterior as for any other unknown parameter in a Bayesian analysis. BMA can be computationally challenging in that one must approximate the joint posterior of both model and parameters. Here, we present a computational strategy for BMA that exploits existing Markov chain Monte Carlo software and combines model-specific posteriors post hoc. In application to a comprehensive analysis of cosmological data sets, we quantify the impact of EDE on the H0 discrepancy. We find an EDE model probability of ${\sim} 90~{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ whenever we include the H0 measurement from Type Ia supernovae in the analysis, whereas the other data show a strong preference for the standard cosmological model. We finally present constraints on common parameters marginalized over both cosmological models. For reasonable priors on models with and without EDE, the H0 tension is reduced by at least 20 per cent.
Eggs are a source of cholesterol and choline and may impact plasma lipids and trimethylamine-
N
-oxide (TMAO) concentrations, which are biomarkers for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Therefore, ...the effects of increasing egg intake (0, 1, 2, and 3 eggs/day) on these and other CVD risk biomarkers were evaluated in a young, healthy population. Thirty-eight subjects 19 men/19 women, 24.1 ± 2.2 years, body mass index (BMI) 24.3 ± 2.5 kg/m
2
participated in this 14-week crossover intervention. Participants underwent a 2-week washout with no egg consumption, followed by intake of 1, 2, and 3 eggs/day for 4 weeks each. Anthropometric data, blood pressure (BP), dietary records, and plasma biomarkers (lipids, glucose, choline, and TMAO) were measured during each intervention phase. BMI, waist circumference, systolic BP, plasma glucose, and plasma triacylglycerol did not change throughout the intervention. Diastolic BP decreased with egg intake (
P
< 0.05). Compared to 0 eggs/day, intake of 1 egg/day increased HDL cholesterol (HDL-c) (
P
< 0.05), and decreased LDL cholesterol (LDL-c) (
P
< 0.05) and the LDL-c/HDL-c ratio (
P
< 0.01). With intake of 2–3 eggs/day, these changes were maintained. Plasma choline increased dose-dependently with egg intake (
P
< 0.0001) while fasting plasma TMAO was unchanged. These results indicate that in a healthy population, consuming up to 3 eggs/day results in an overall beneficial effect on biomarkers associated with CVD risk, as documented by increased HDL-c, a reduced LDL-c/HDL-c ratio, and increased plasma choline in combination with no change in plasma LDL-c or TMAO concentrations.
Memory impairment in Alzheimer's disease patients is thought to be associated with the accumulation of amyloid-beta peptides and tau proteins. However, inconsistent reports of cognitive deficits in ...pre-clinical studies have raised questions about the link between amyloid-beta and cognitive decline. One possible explanation may be that studies reporting memory deficits often involve behavioral assessments that entail a high stress component. In contrast, in tasks without a high stress component transgenic mice do not consistently show declines in memory. The glucocorticoid cascade hypothesis of aging and the vicious cycle of stress framework suggest that stress exacerbates dementia progression by initiating a cycle of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation and subsequent brain deterioration. Using the APPswe/PS1dE9 mouse model of amyloidosis, we assessed whether stressor exposure prior to testing differentially impaired cognitive performance of aged male and female mice. As part of a larger study, mice performed a delayed match-to-position (DMTP) or a 3-choice serial-reaction time (3CSRT) task. Unexpectedly, these mice did not exhibit cognitive declines during aging. Therefore, at 73 and 74 weeks of age, we exposed mice to a predator odor or forced swim stressor prior to testing to determine if stress revealed cognitive deficits. We predicted stressor exposure would decrease performance accuracy more robustly in transgenic vs. non-transgenic mice. Acute stressor exposure increased accuracy in the DMTP task, but not in the 3CSRT task. Our data suggest that acute stressor exposure prior to testing does not impair cognitive performance in APPswe/PS1dE9 mice.
Metabolic endotoxemia is associated with obesity and contributes to postprandial inflammation.
We aimed to determine if low-fat yogurt consumption prevents postprandial inflammation and dysmetabolism ...in healthy women by inhibiting biomarkers of metabolic endotoxemia.
Premenopausal women defined as obese and nonobese body mass index (BMI, in kg/m2) 30–40 and 18.5–27, respectively, n = 120 were randomly assigned to consume 339 g of low-fat yogurt (YN, yogurt nonobese; YO, yogurt obese) or 324 g of soy pudding (CN, control nonobese; CO, control obese) for 9 wk (n = 30/group). The intervention foods each supplied 330 kcal with 3 g fat, 66 g carbohydrate, and 4–6 g protein. At weeks 0 and 9, participants ingested 226 g of yogurt or 216 g of soy pudding before a meal providing 56–60 g fat, 82 g carbohydrate, and 28–30 g protein. Plasma soluble CD14 (sCD14), lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP), LPS activity, interleukin-6 (IL-6), glucose, triglyceride, and insulin were measured hourly for 4 h to assess differences in postprandial responses between groups by 2-factor ANOVA.
Premeal yogurt consumption prevented the postprandial decrease in sCD14 net incremental area under the curve (net iAUC) by 72% in obese individuals at week 0 (P = 0.0323). YN and YO had ≥40% lower net iAUC of LBP-to-sCD14 ratio and plasma IL-6 concentration than CN and CO, respectively (P< 0.05). CO had postprandial hyperglycemia which was not evident in YO; in contrast YN had 57% less postprandial hypoglycemia than did CN (P-interaction = 0.0013). After 9 wk of yogurt consumption, ΔAUC of LBP-to-sCD14 ratios of YO and YN were less than half of those of the control groups (P = 0.0093).
Yogurt consumption improved postprandial metabolism and biomarkers of metabolic endotoxemia in healthy premenopausal women. Premeal yogurt consumption is a feasible strategy to inhibit postprandial dysmetabolism and thus may reduce cardiometabolic risk. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01686204.
Increasing evidence suggests that the loss of functional stem cells may be important in the aging process. Our experiments were originally aimed at testing the idea that, in the specific case of ...age-related osteoporosis, declining function of osteogenic precursor cells might be at least partially responsible. To test this, aging female mice were transplanted with mesenchymal stem cells from aged or young male donors. We find that transplantation of young mesenchymal stem cells significantly slows the loss of bone density and, surprisingly, prolongs the life span of old mice. These observations lend further support to the idea that age-related diminution of stem cell number or function may play a critical role in age-related loss of bone density in aging animals and may be one determinant of overall longevity.
Telomerase Activator 65 (TA-65), a compound extracted from Astragalus membranaceus has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for extending lifespan. Scarce information exists on the effects of ...TA-65 on parameters of metabolic syndrome (MetS).
We recruited 40 patients with MetS to determine the effects of TA-65 on dyslipidemias, hypertension, and oxidative stress in this at-risk population. The study was a double-blind, randomized crossover design in which patients were allocated to consume either 16 mg daily of a TA-65 supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks. Following a 3-week washout, participants were allocated to the alternate treatment for an additional 12 weeks. Anthropometric and biological markers were measured at the end of each treatment. Plasma lipids, glucose, CReactive Protein (CRP), liver enzymes, and glycosylated hemoglobin were measured using a Cobas c-111. Inflammatory cytokines were measured by Luminex technology and markers of oxidative stress by the use of spectroscopy.
Compared to the placebo period, HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) was higher while body mass index, waist circumference, and the LDL/HDL ratio were lower (p < 0.05) during TA-65 treatment. In addition, plasma tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was lower during the TA-65 period (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were observed in changes between the placebo and the TA-65 periods in HDL-C and CRP (r = -0.511, p < 0.01), alanine aminotransferase (r = -0.61, p < 0.001) and TNF-α (r = -0.550, p < 0.001) suggesting that the favorable changes observed in HDL were associated with decreases in inflammation.
TA-65 improved key markers of cardiovascular disease risk, which were also associated with reductions in inflammation.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an obesity-associated spectrum of comorbidities defined by the presence of metabolic dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in the ...liver. If left untreated, NAFLD can progress to cirrhosis, liver failure, or hepatocellular carcinoma. NAFLD is recognized as the most common liver disease in the United States, affecting around 30% of the population. Identification of dietary components capable of reducing or preventing NAFLD is therefore essential to battle this condition. Dietary carotenoids including astaxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin have been demonstrated to be potent antioxidants as well as to exhibit anti-inflammatory effects. Many studies report the protective effect(s) of these carotenoids against different conditions such as atherosclerosis, diabetic complications, age-related macular degeneration, and liver diseases. In this review, we will focus on the effects of these carotenoids in the prevention or reduction of NAFLD as seen in epidemiological observations and clinical trials, as well as the suggested mechanism of action derived from animal and cell studies.
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that have the ability to post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression. Hundreds of miRNAs have been identified in humans and they are involved in the ...regulation of almost every process, including cholesterol transport, metabolism, and maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis. Because of their small size and their ability to very specifically regulate gene expression, miRNAs are attractive targets for the regulation of dyslipidemias and other lipid-related disorders. However, the complex interactions between miRNAs, transcription factors, and gene expression raise great potential for side effects as a result of miRNA overexpression or inhibition. Many dietary components can also target specific miRNAs, altering the expression of downstream genes. Therefore, much more research is necessary to fully understand the role(s) of each miRNA in the body and how they may be impacted by diet and health. The present review aims to summarize the known roles of miRNAs in the regulation of reverse cholesterol transport and the maintenance of cholesterol homeostasis, as well as the potential clinical consequences of their manipulation.
It is not clear how oil-in-water nanoemulsions of lutein may affect bioavailability and consequently alter lipoprotein metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation.
The bioavailability as well as ...effects of a powdered lutein (PL) and an oil-in-water lutein nanoemulsion (NANO; particle size: 254.2 nm; polydispersity index: 0.29; and ζ-potential: -65 mV) on metabolic variables in liver, plasma, and adipose tissue in a guinea pig model of hepatic steatosis were evaluated.
Twenty-four 2-mo-old male Hartley guinea pigs, weighing 200-300 g (n = 8/group), were fed diets containing 0.25 g cholesterol/100 g to induce liver injury for the duration of the study. They were allocated to control (0 mg lutein), PL (3.5 mg/d), or NANO (3.5 mg/d) groups. After 6 wk, plasma, liver, and adipose tissue were collected for determination of lutein, plasma lipids, tissue cholesterol, and inflammatory cytokines.
The NANO group had 2-fold higher concentrations of lutein in plasma (P < 0.001) and 1.6-fold higher concentrations in liver (P < 0.001) than did the PL group, indicating greater bioavailability of this carotenoid. The NANO group also had 24% lower hepatic steatosis scores (P < 0.05), 31% lower hepatic cholesterol accumulation (P < 0.05), and 64% lower plasma alanine aminotransferase (P < 0.05) than did the control group. Hepatic oxidized LDL was 55% lower in both the PL and NANO groups than in the control group (P < 0.05). In plasma, the NANO group had 2-fold higher concentrations of LDL and HDL cholesterol as well as a 2-fold higher number of VLDL, LDL, and HDL particles than did the other 2 groups as evaluated by nuclear magnetic resonance. Furthermore, the NANO group had 15% higher concentrations of free cholesterol in adipose tissue, resulting in higher concentrations of inflammatory markers, than did the other 2 groups.
These results indicate that, although this lutein nanoemulsion exerted protective effects against hepatic steatosis, plasma lipoproteins and adipose tissue cholesterol were increased. These data suggest that the metabolic effects of this particular nanoemulsion might not be protective in all tissues in guinea pigs.
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