Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration represents the body’s reserves of vitamin D, which is mostly used by clinicians to evaluate the storage status of vitamin D in the body. The present study aimed to investigate the serum vitamin D components in different health status of minors to correctly evaluate the vitamin D storage in vivo. A total of 2,270 minors were included in the study, which was divided into healthy group (1,204 cases) and disease group (1,066 cases, including 270 short stature, 433 respiratory infections, 175 malnutrition and 188 tic disorder subjects). The levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₂ [25(OH)D₂] and 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ [25(OH)D₃] were measured by UHPLC-MS/MS in all subjects, and the 25(OH)D₃ activity equivalents [25(OH)D₃-AE] and 25(OH)D were calculated. In addition, the 3-epi-25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ [3-epi-25(OH)D₃] concentrations of 278 subjects (including 147 healthy and 131 disease subjects) were measured by random sampling. 25(OH)D₂, 25(OH)D₃, 25(OH)D and 25(OH)D₃-AE levels in disease group were significantly lower than those in healthy group (p<0.001). According to the level of 25(OH)D, the sufficiency of vitamin D [25(OH)D≥30 ng/mL] was 65.4% in healthy group and 50.5% in disease group. When the 25(OH)D₂ activity was converted into 25(OH)D₃-AE, 53.2% of the patients in the healthy group had sufficiency vitamin D, and 39.1% in the disease group. The 3-epi-25(OH)D₃ level in the disease group was significantly lower than that in the healthy group (p<0.001). Not only the 25(OH)D, but also the both of 25(OH)D₂ and 25(OH)D₃ levels may overestimate the vitamin D status in subjects. For accurate evaluation, at least the serum levels of 25(OH)D₂, 25(OH)D₃ and 3-epi-25(OH)D₃ should be determined simultaneously.

Low 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are closely associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. Vitamin D deficiency is more common in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus than in the general population. In addition, vitamin D status is lower in patients with the metabolic syndrome than in those without the syndrome. Therefore, we examined the association between lipid profiles and 25(OH)D levels. In this case control study, 285 type 2 diabetic patients who attended the Manda Memorial Hospital from March to October 2017 were selected and 25(OH)D, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) levels, were obtained. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the association between 25(OH)D concentrations and TG levels was statistically significant (p<0.01) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, estimated glomerular flow rate (eGFR), insulin use, duration of diabetes mellitus, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), alcohol consumption, current smoking, and sampling timing. The serum 25(OH)D level was inversely associated with the TG level after the adjustment for the characteristics of Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The correlation between vitamin D intake and lung cancer development is controversial. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the relationship between vitamin D and the prognosis and incidence of lung cancer. A comprehensive database search on PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Cochrane Library was carried out from the beginning to November 2020. Long-term survival and the incidence rate of patients with lung cancer were the primary outcomes of the study. Ten eligible studies were selected for the meta-analysis following specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Four included studies, covering 5,007 patients, compared the overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) of lung cancer patients among total vitamin D users with non-users. Significantly, the estimated pooled hazard ratio (HR) revealed that vitamin D could improve OS and RFS of lung cancer patients [HR=0.83, 95% CI (0.72–0.95); HR=0.79, 95% CI (0.61–0.97), respectively]. Vitamin D intake was inversely associated with lung cancer incidence in six studies [OR=0.90, 95% CI (0.83–0.97)]. The present meta-analysis shows vitamin D not only improves the long-term survival of lung cancer patients but has a beneficial effect on the incidence of lung cancer. Notwithstanding, more studies are needed to confirm the study results.

Zeolite, an abundant mineral in the Earth’s crust, is utilized in a wide range of fields because of its well-known adsorption properties. Its application as a functional food ingredient resembling dietary fiber is expected, but it has not yet been investigated in the context of prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the availability and safety of a natural zeolite preparation for this purpose. Acute oral toxicity testing showed that the lowest lethal dose of zeolite was more than 2,000 mg/kg body weight for both male and female mice. In a prolonged feeding test for 18 wk using model mice with high-fat-induced obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, intake of a 10% zeolite-containing diet suppressed body weight gain, as well as liver and visceral fat weights, without any changes in food and energy intake. Moreover, plasma lipid (triacylglycerol, total cholesterol and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol) levels and fasting blood glucose levels decreased in parallel with zeolite intake. No changes in the glycated hemoglobin level were found. However, in an oral glucose tolerance test at week 12, increased postprandial blood glucose levels were suppressed in accordance with zeolite intake, and then insulin secretion was also decreased. On the other hand, a decrease of plasma amylase activity and increases in total bilirubin and urea nitrogen suggested the need for further investigation of safety.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a combination of risk factors related to the development of mainly type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Its prevalence has increased worldwide, and healthcare systems will face major challenges in addressing this problem. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on insulin resistance (IR) and obesity associated with MS in Wistar rats. The experimental design consisted of three groups of sucrose-induced MS rats: the MS group that consumed sucrose (MS-Suc; n=5), the MS group that ingested sucrose and HBOT (MS-Suc-HBOT; n=5), the MS group that did not consume sucrose and that received HBOT (MS-HBOT; n=5) and the control group. The rats received HBOT for 20 d at 2.4 atmospheres absolute (ATA) for 60 min. Subsequently, the rats were euthanized, and body fat weight, serum biochemical parameters and microscopic analysis of adipose tissue were determined. Rats with hyperoxia had decreased body weight, adipose tissue hypertrophy, and abdominal and epididymal fat. Likewise, markers of insulin resistance (glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR), biochemical parameters of dyslipidemia (cholesterol and triglycerides) and nonalcoholic fatty liver (AST and ALT) decreased; in contrast, compared to the control group, HBOT increased the 1/HOMA-IR, HOMA-βCell and McAuley indexes, which were related to the improvement in insulin sensitivity (p<0.05; p<0.01). HBOT showed beneficial effects in the treatment of IR and obesity associated with sucrose-induced metabolic syndrome in Wistar rats.

Good dietary quality among pregnant women is critical for maternal and fetal health. The primary objective of our study was to analyze the dietary quality of pregnant woman and its influencing factors. Pregnant women were enrolled using a multistage, stratified, random-sampling method in Shanghai. We used a personal food frequency questionnaire and a household condiment weighing method for dietary assessments. Participants’ scores on the China Healthy Diet Index (CHDI) were analyzed to evaluate diet quality. Significant differences in the median daily intake of almost all food types were found across all trimesters, and all food types were found across all residential areas (urban, suburban and rural). The median of total CHDI score was 71.6 in all subjects, 71.1 in early pregnancy, 71.5 in middle pregnancy and 72.3 in late pregnancy. The results of uni-variate analysis showed that significant differences in CHDI scores were found across trimesters and residential areas. Eighty one point six percent of participants scored below 80 points, indicating general or poor dietary quality. Logistic regression models showed that participants in early and middle pregnancy had lower scores than those in late pregnancy. Women in urban areas had higher scores than those in suburban and rural areas. Most of pregnant women living in Shanghai suffer from a general or poor dietary quality. Education on balance diet should be strengthened to guide pregnant women in making reasonable food choices and intake, especially those living in suburban and rural areas and those in their first and second trimesters.

We investigated the effects of inadequate folate intake on the onset and progression of hypertensive organ injury. In the present study, 5-wk-old male stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) were fed with a normal-folate (control; 160–170 μg of folate/100 g diet) or low-folate (8–10 μg of folate/100 g diet) diet until they reached 25 wk of age. After the animals reached 10 wk of age, the bodyweight of the rats in the low-folate group was lower than that of the rats in the control group. Regarding blood pressure, both groups had severe hypertension of ≥230 mmHg at 12 wk of age that was not significantly different between the groups. At 16 wk of age, the low-folate group had a low number of blood cell types. The folate levels in the serum, liver, and kidneys of these rats were significantly lower (p<0.01) and the serum homocysteine level in the low-folate group was significantly higher than in the controls. The low-folate group had a significantly lower testicular weight than the control group (p<0.05) and arterial hypertrophy, spermatogenesis arrest, and interstitial connective tissue hyperplasia were observed. However, there was no clear difference in lesions in other organs. These results indicated that under low folate status, SHRSP causes hematopoietic disorders and exacerbates hypertensive vascular injury at various degrees by organ type.

Nutritional supplements are sometimes important for athletes to improve their sports performance and maintain their condition. Maslinic acid (MA) is a type of compound with a pentacyclic triterpene structure extracted from olives, and has a strong anti-inflammatory effect and improves metabolic function. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MA on muscle hypertrophy by functional overload using an animal model. Mice plantaris muscles were overloaded by synergist ablation surgery with/without MA and they were sampled at 4, 7, and 14 d after the operation. We demonstrated that MA significantly increased plantaris’ cross-sectional area and activated the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling compared with the non-supplemented group (main effect of MA, p<0.05). In addition, MA also significantly reduced catabolic proteins compared with the non-supplemented group. MA supplementation increased muscle fiber size and promoted muscle hypertrophy via mTOR signaling. Our results indicate that MA supplementation may be useful for promoting hypertrophy of skeletal muscle.

Energy intake (EI) has been identified as a key factor of health controlled by exercise. Aerobic dance exercise (ADEX) is a popular exercise for fitness that one can enjoy. This present study aims to examine the influence of ADEX on moods, appetite, and EI. Thirty-one young female college students completed two 1-h experimental conditions: sedentary (SED) and ADEX followed by an ad libitum lunch. Visual analog scales and measurement of salivary α-amylase activity were used to assess appetite, fatigue, and stress at pre act, post act, and pre lunch, respectively. The rating of perceived exertion (RPE) of the SED or ADEX activities was measured using the Borg scale (range, 6–20). The participants completed the Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition–Adult Short at pre and post act only on the ADEX experimental day to assess the degree to which total mood disturbance (TMD), negative mood disturbance (NMD), and positive mood disturbance (PMD) have correlations with EI. In results, ADEX increased in RPE but did not affect TMD, NMD, PMD, hunger, fullness, appetite, and EI. Additionally, the ADEX-induced relative changes in EI were not determined to be significantly correlated with RPE in ADEX or the change in TMD, NMD, or PMD by ADEX. Our study suggests that ADEX does not affect mood, appetite, and EI. In addition, individual mood changes caused by ADEX do not correlate with EI in young adult women.

The Dietary Reference Intakes 2020 divided the older population into those aged 65–74 y and those over 75 y old. However, physical activity level in each age group was not specified. This study examined age-related differences in physical activity level among healthy Japanese older people, and the effect of lifestyles on these differences. In total, 70 people (22 men, 48 women) aged 65–85 y old participated in this study. Total energy expenditure was measured using the doubly labeled water method, and basal metabolic rate using expired gas concentration and volume. The Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly and a triaxial accelerometer were used to assess physical activities. Physical activity level was significantly higher among 65–74 y old (median 1.86) than those over 75 y old (1.76). However, the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly did not show any significant differences between the age groups. The duration of physical activity with 3.0–5.9 metabolic equivalents was longer for both locomotive and household activities among 65–74 y old than those over 75 y old. Younger participants walked a median of 6,364 steps a day, compared with 4,419 steps for older people. The 65–74 y old participants involved in paid work or who habitually exercised, and those over 75 y old taking more than 40 min a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity, and walking more than the median level for their sex and age group had significantly higher physical activity levels.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a key intermediate of heme biosynthesis, which is an essential component of the respiratory chain. Therefore, nutrients that affect ALA biosynthesis eventually affect ATP production, which is the basis of mitochondrial function. Although the effects of various non-nutrient components that affect ALA after biosynthesis have been reported, there are few reports on the effects of dietary amino acids/protein on ALA formation and the effects of dietary vitamins that are involved in amino acid metabolism. In mitochondria, ALA is synthesized from succinyl-CoA and glycine by the pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme ALA synthase [EC 2.3.1.37]. In this study, the effects of dietary amino acids/protein and vitamins on the amount of ALA synthesized were investigated using mice, rats, and cultured cells. Amounts of ALA in plasma and urine, and porphyrins in plasma increased with increasing protein intake. Vitamin B₁ insufficiency did not affect ALA synthesis. Vitamin B₆ insufficiency increased the amount of ALA synthesized, while niacin deficiency markedly reduced ALA synthesis. Thus, for heme synthesis, an essential biological substance for life, the amounts of amino acids, as well as the pathways metabolizing amino acids to glycine and succinyl-CoA are very important. Specifically, it is important that niacin is associated with the formation of glycine and succinyl-CoA from amino acids.

Atrogin-1, which is an important regulator of ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation in skeletal muscle, is a major marker of muscle loss and disuse muscle atrophy. To investigate which components of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) suppress dexamethasone (DEX)-induced atrogin-1 expression, mouse skeletal muscle C2C12 myotubes were treated with DEX in the presence or absence of components of LAB. Heat-killed cells and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) derived from five LAB strains significantly suppressed DEX-induced atrogin-1 expression. The glycerophosphate (GroP) fraction prepared from chemically-degraded LTA and sn-glycerol-1-phosphate suppressed DEX-induced atrogin-1 expression, whereas the glycolipid anchor fraction of LTA did not. Heat-killed cells obtained by culturing under low-Mn²⁺ conditions, which generated fewer poly-GroP polymers in LTA, displayed significantly lower inhibitory activity compared to heat-killed cells grown under normal conditions. These results suggested that LTA of LAB contributed to suppressing atrogin-1 expression and that the GroP moiety of LTA was responsible for its inhibitory activity.