ANTI-AGING MEDICINE
Online ISSN : 1882-2762
ISSN-L : 1882-2762
Volume 4, Issue 1
Displaying 1-5 of 5 articles from this issue
Original Articles
  • Yoshikazu YONEI, Yoko TAKAHASHI, Koji MATSUSHITA, Miwako WATANABE, Tos ...
    2007 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 1-10
    Published: 2007
    Released on J-STAGE: March 14, 2008
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    We investigated the health claims of food containing Kabanoanatake (Charga: Fuscoporia obliqua) in terms of general body function in a double blind study using three Groups, control, Charga 5ml Group and Charga 15ml Group, each of which consisted of 20 subjects totaling 60 healthy adult volunteers (male: 23; female; 37, age: 45.7±6.9 years).
    For the Charga 5ml Group, systolic blood pressure (-3.72 %, p=0.046) and diastolic blood pressure (-3.47 %, p=0.018) were significantly lowered, while triglyceride (36.01 %, p=0.050) was increased. Also, slight changes were observed in total body water (-0.70 %, p=0.036), total body muscle (-0.69 %, p=0.034), fat-free mass (-0.72 %, p=0.022), total skeletal muscle (-1.35 %, p=0.005), basal metabolism (-0.60 %, p=0.013), HbAlc (1.57 %, p=0.034) and Cl (-1.19 %, p=0.019). Among oxidization stress markers, lipid peroxide (-7.89 %, p=0.006) was significantly improved. For mental and physical symptoms, significant improvements were observed in “Cold skin” (p=0.008) and “Inability to sleep because of worries” (p=0.008), while no parameter showed any aggravation. The Charga 15ml Group showed a significant improvement in the score for “loss of motivation” (p=0.042) for physical and mental symptoms. Apart from this, a slight but significant change was observed in Cl (-1.18 %, p=0.016), while aggravation was noted for “frequent urination” (p=0.049).
    The parameters which showed a dose-dependent change in terms of administration of Charga were from the blood test (lowering of fasting insulin level), physical symptoms on the common interview sheet on aging and the QOL (improved score in “stiff shoulders”), mental symptoms (an improvement in the scores for “loss of motivation”, “daily life is not enjoyable”, “pessimism” and “feeling of anxiety for no special reason”. While “weight loss; thin” and “Easily breaking into a sweat” showed a slight increases in their respective scores, the increase in the score for “frequent urination” was comparatively remarkable. There was no significant change in immune activity using the number of NK cells as a benchmark parameter. In conclusion, taking the balance between parameters that showed effects and aggravation into consideration, the preferability of two doses of Charga 5ml or 15ml/day seemed equivocal. As unfavorable phenomenon, frequent urination and mild elevation of γ-GTP and triglyceride were observed during the study.
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  • Yoshikazu YONEI, Yoko TAKAHASHI, Atsushi SHIONOIRI, Shino INADA
    2007 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 11-18
    Published: 2007
    Released on J-STAGE: March 14, 2008
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    We conducted an open parallel comparison study between Groups to evaluate the possible influence on mental and physical conditions of using a mattress and pillow in which a gel was embedded for 4 weeks. The study subjects consisted of 41 Japanese healthy adult volunteers with high total scores (7 or more) of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and of both sexes aged between 35 to 57 (42.8±5.5) years old. They were divided into 2 groups; the Control Group consisting of 21 subjects and the Study Group consisting of 20 subjects. In the Study Group, DHEA-s (-9.8%) and the creatinine-corrected urinary 8-OHdG (-16.7%) was significantly decreased, and cortisol (27.7%) significantly increased. Of the physical symptoms, “Blurry eyes”, “Lethargy”, and “Coughing and sputum” significantly improved in the Study Group compared with control. Of the mental conditions, “No feeling of happiness”, “Shallow sleep” and “Difficulty falling asleep” significantly improved in the Study Group. For Lifestyle, only the Study Group was affected. Specifically, the “Frequency of alcohol intake” significantly increased along with the “Sleeping hours” (p<0.05). For the survey which entailed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Study Group showed a significant improvement in “Quality of sleep” (p<0.01). “Sleeping hours” (p<0.05), and “Difficulty staying awake during the day” (p<0.05). Total score decreased from 9.30±2.36 to 6.05±2.80 (p<0.001). These data indicates that the use of a mattress and pillow in which a gel is embedded for four weeks should improve one's quality of sleep and some physical and mental symptoms for healthy adult males and females.
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  • Yoshikazu YONEI, Yoko TAKAHASHI, Miwako WATANABE, Toshito YOSHIOKA
    2007 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 19-27
    Published: 2007
    Released on J-STAGE: March 14, 2008
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In the present study, we investigated the physical effect of health food (supplement) which contains L-carnitine (200mg) and conjugated linoleic acid (700mg) for 8 weeks with a double-blind, randomized controlled non-crossover design. Overweight individuals (17 males and 18 females; age: 48.3±6.6yrs; BMI: 25.5±2.6) were assigned to either Study Group (n=18) or Control Group (n=17). A small increase in serum levels of HbAlc (3.3%) and CRP (35.3%) was noted in the Study Group (p<0.05), and a significant increase in urinary isoprostane production rate (38.9%) and its creatinine -adjusted value (isoprostane/CRE) (44.4%), which is a marker for damage of fatty acids by free radicals. No effect was observed for indicators related to body composition and lipid metabolism. The results showed a significant improvement for the following subjective symptoms: “Easily break into a sweat”, “Irritability”, “Easily angered”, “Sense of tension”, however, “Early satiety” exacerbated. The sole parameter we found a significant intergroup difference in rate of change was in urinary isoprostane production rate and its creatinine-corrected value, and the score obtained in the questionnaire for “Easily angered”. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the consumption of the test compounds with L-carnitine and conjugated linoleic acid can reduce some mental symptoms; however, the efficacy on QOL was equivocal. As unfavorable phenomenon, elevation of HbAlc, CRP and urinary isoprostane were observed during the study.
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  • Yoshikazu YONEI, Yoko TAKAHASHI, Hozumi TAKAHASHI, Miwako WATANABE, To ...
    2007 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 28-37
    Published: 2007
    Released on J-STAGE: March 14, 2008
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    A double-blind, randomized and placebo controlled study was carried out to examine the anti-aging efficacy and safety of Rokkaku Reishi in 22 overweight Japanese women (46.5±7.9 years old, BMI 26.8±2.7) consisting of 11 in the Analyte Group and 11 in the Placebo Group. Total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and neutral fat values in the blood, which had been checked as background factors of the subjects, were mismatched, significantly higher respectively in the Analyte Group than in the Placebo Group. Evaluation of efficacy for lipid profiles was inevitable. In the Analyte Group the values of Hematocrit (-3.5%) and γ-GTP (-15.0%) significantly declined while HbAlc (2.3%) and K (5.4%) significantly increased after supplementation. The rate of increase of HbAlc in the Analyte Group was significantly higher than that in the Placebo Group. NK-cell activity showed no difference pre- and post-supplementation in either group. Oxidative-stress markers showed no significant difference pre- and post-supplementation for either group. A Common questionnaire on physical symptoms showed that the categories “Coughing and sputum” and “Grey hair” significantly declined after supplementation in the Analyte Group while no difference was found in the Placebo Group. For skin age scores measured using a Roboskinanalyzer, the scores for the categories “Noticeable pores”, “Large noticeable pores” and “Dusky noticeable pores” were significantly lower in the Analyte Group compared to the Placebo Group. A significant correlation was found between 8-OHdG in terms of its level, creatinine-corrected value and generation rate, and the number of “Noticeable pores”. No adverse reaction was found during the study. These results suggest that the four weeks supplementation of Rokkaku Reishi showed favorable effects on skin condition.
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  • Hiroshi Yasuda, Kazuya Yoshida, Hiroshi Tagai, Katsumi Fukuchi, Ryoich ...
    2007 Volume 4 Issue 1 Pages 38-42
    Published: 2007
    Released on J-STAGE: March 14, 2008
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In order to examine possible association of aging with minerals, we measured hair concentrations of 24 bio-elements including essential minerals and toxic metals in over 1500 male Japanese adults aged 20-60 years. Several minerals were found to be significantly and positively or inversely correlated to aging. The most age-correlated element was mercury (Hg) with the highest regression coefficient of r = 0.417, followed by boron (B) (r = 0.189), potassium (K) (r = 0.186), arsenic (As) (r = 0.178), selenium (Se) (r = 0.153) and sodium (Na) (r = 0.131) with the p-value of p < 0.0000 for every element. Using the regression equation of Age = 13.9 Log Hg — 12.5 obtained, a 10-fold increase in mercury level was estimated to associate with a 13.9-year increment in aging. The most inverse-correlated mineral to aging was calcium (Ca) (r = -0.207), followed by magnesium (Mg) (r = -0.174), cupper (Cu) (r = -0.147), and zinc (r = -0.105; p < 0.0001).
    These findings suggest that some minerals contribute to aging and higher dietary mercury intake may be associated with acceleration of aging. Dietary intake of the competitive minerals against mercury, such as calcium, magnesium, cupper and zinc, may be useful for controlling aging in Japanese.
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