B Vitamins Can Reduce Body Weight Gain by Increasing Metabolism-related Enzyme Activities in Rats Fed on a High-Fat Diet

Understanding the Impact of Vitamin B Supplements on a Saudi Population

Introduction B vitamins help generate energy within cells. A significant portion of populations in developed countries suffer a deficiency in one or more B vitamins. This study assesses the use of vitamin B supplements and their effects. Methodology This cross-sectional study was conducted using public participants in Saudi Arabia. Participants from all over Saudi Arabia were recruited through self-conducted surveys to study the effects of using vitamin B supplements on appetite, BMI, energy, and sleep, and to identify any side effects in participants. Inclusion criteria included age (18 years or older) and use of vitamin B supplements. Children, pregnant women, adults who had never used vitamin B, and those not willing to participate in the study were excluded. Results In total, 1,521 adults were recruited. Most of the participants were young Saudi Females. While taking vitamin B supplements, a minority of participants complained of mild gastrointestinal upset, but a significant proportion experienced no side effects. In this study, a significant proportion of participants experienced an increase in appetite, which was associated with a significant increase in BMI after taking vitamin B supplements. This study also explored increases in energy, which were significant and associated with significant increases in sleeping time. Male participants in the present study noticed a significant increase in erectile dysfunction (ED). Conclusions This study found significant effects of vitamin B supplements on BMI, appetite, energy, and sleep, as well as an increase in ED in male participants. More studies are needed to further explore these findings.

Chronic Thermogenic Dietary Supplement Consumption: Effects on Body Composition, Anthropometrics, and Metabolism

Multi-ingredient thermogenic supplements can acutely increase resting energy expenditure (REE) and subjective energy. However, less is understood about the effects of chronic consumption on body composition, metabolism, and subjective variables such as mood, sleep quality, and eating behaviors. Fifty-two healthy, exercise-trained participants (50% female; mean ± SD age: 23.5 ± 3.0 years; body fat percentage: 27.3 ± 8.0%) were randomized 2:2:1 to take a whey protein supplement alone (PRO; n = 20), in combination with a thermogenic supplement (PRO + FB; n = 19), or no supplement at all (CON; n = 13) for four weeks. Body composition, anthropometric, metabolic, hemodynamic, and subjective outcomes were collected before and after the intervention. Greater changes in REE occurred in PRO + FB as compared to CON (111.2 kcal/d, 95% CI 2.4 to 219.9 kcal/d, p = 0.04), without significant differences between PRO and CON (42.7 kcal/d, 95% CI -65.0 to 150.3 kcal/d, p = 0.61) or between PRO + FB and PRO (68.5 kcal/d, 95% CI -28.3, 165.3, p = 0.21). No changes in hemodynamic outcomes (blood pressure and heart rate) were observed. In exercising adults, four weeks of supplementation with protein and a multi-ingredient thermogenic product maintained fasted REE as compared to no supplementation, for which a decrease in REE was observed, without differential effects on body composition, anthropometrics, or subjective variables.

Morphological Characteristics, Ultrastructure, and Chemical Constituents of the Endotesta in Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.)

Ginkgo biloba L. is a tree species of significant economic and ecological importance. Prior studies of the Ginkgo biloba seed coat have predominantly focused on the sarcotesta and sclerotesta, with less attention paid to the endotesta. In this study, the development and formation of Ginkgo endotesta were examined using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The structural properties of the mature endotesta were analyzed using micro-CT imaging and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that the endotesta possess a membranous structure primarily originating from the inner bead peridium, a segment of bead core tissue, and the macrospore membrane. The endotesta from the middle constriction line to the chalazal end comprises a single layer with a greyish-white papery structure. In contrast, the endotesta was divided into two inner and two outer layers, from the middle constriction line to the micropylar end. The outer endosperm adheres closely to the sclerotesta, while the inner endosperm adheres to the seed kernel. The surface of the endotesta was irregularly raised, with thicker wax at the chalazal end, whereas the micropylar end demonstrated similar characteristics with thinner wax and tumor layers. The endotesta contained 17 amino acids, 18 fatty acids, 10 trace elements, and 7 vitamins. Overall, its nutritional value was relatively well balanced.

Hypolipidemic mechanism of Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides in high-fat diet-induced obese mice based on metabolomics

Objective

In this study, the structure of Pleurotus eryngii polysaccharides (PEPs) was characterized, and the mechanism of PEP on obesity and hyperlipidemia induced by high-fat diet was evaluated by metabonomic analysis.

Methods

The structure of PEPs were characterized by monosaccharide composition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry. In animal experiments, H&E staining was used to observe the morphological difference of epididymal adipose tissue of mice in each group. Ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC)-(QE) HFX -mass spectrometry (MS) was used to analyze the difference of metabolites in serum of mice in each group and the related metabolic pathways.

Results

The PEPs contained nine monosaccharides: 1.05% fucose, 0.30% arabinose, 17.94% galactose, 53.49% glucose, 1.24% xylose, 23.32% mannose, 1.30% ribose, 0.21%galacturonic acid, and 1.17% glucuronic acid. The PEPs began to degrade at 251°C (T0), while the maximum thermal degradation rate temperature (Tm) appeared at 300°C. The results histopathological observation demonstrated that the PEPs had signifificant hypolipidemic activities. After PEPs intervention, the metabolic profile of mice changed significantly. A total of 29 different metabolites were selected as adjunctive therapy to PEPs, for treatment of obesity and hyperlipidemia-related complications caused by a high-fat diet. These metabolites include amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, choline, glycerol phospholipids, and other endogenous compounds, which can prevent and treat obesity and hyperlipidemia caused by a high-fat diet by regulating amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and changes in metabolic pathways such as that involved in the citric cycle (TCA cycle).

Conclusions

The presented results indicate that PEPs treatment can alleviate the obesity and hyperlipidemia caused by a high-fat diet and, thus, may be used as a functional food adjuvant, providing a theoretical basis and technical guidance for the prevention and treatment of high-fat diet-induced obesity and hyperlipidemia.

Factors of Obesity and Metabolically Healthy Obesity in Asia

The East Asian region (China, Japan, and South Korea) is comprised of almost 1.5 billion people and recent industrialization has brought with it a pandemic of rising obesity, even in children. As these countries are rapidly aging and functioning at sub-replacement birthrates, the burgeoning costs of obesity-related care may threaten socialized healthcare systems and quality of life. However, a condition called metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) has been found to be without immediate cardiopulmonary or diabetic risk. Thus, maintenance of the MHO condition for the obese in East Asia could buffer the burden of long-term obesity care on medical systems and knowledge of the biochemical, genetic, and physiological milieu associated with it could also provide new targets for intervention. Diverse physiological, psychological, environmental, and social factors play a role in obesogenesis and the transition of MHO to a metabolically unhealthy obesity. This review will give a broad survey of the various causes of obesity and MHO, with special emphasis on the East Asian population and studies from that region.

The efficacy of vitamin B6 as an adjunctive therapy to lithium in improving the symptoms of acute mania in patients with bipolar disorder, type 1; a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

Vitamin B6 has been linked to a variety of probable roles, including anti-inflammatory, homocysteine-lowering, serotonin-regulating, and dopamine-lowering. In this study, we investigated the possible effect of vitamin B6 on bipolar disorder in manic episode with psychotic feature in a placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial in a psychiatric hospital.

METHODS

This study was performed on 50 patients who were equally divided into two groups (each group included 25 patients) using 80 mg of vitamin B6 daily or placebo. At the beginning and end of the study, they were evaluated for lab tests, inflammatory biomarkers and level of blood homocysteine. Also, at the baseline and in weeks 2, 4, and 8, they were evaluated based on the anthropometric measurements, score obtained from the Young Mania Questionnaire, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Accordingly, based on Yang Mania scoring scale, no significant difference was observed between the two groups receiving vitamin B6 and placebo (22.68 ± 5.39 vs. 21.80 ± 5.39 [p-value = .51]). Based on MMSE, significant improvement in cognitive status was obtained in group placebo compared to vitamin B6 group (25.24 ± 1.96 vs. 24.40 ± 3.25, respectively [p-value = .01]). At the Pittsburg scale (total, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups receiving vitamin B6 and placebo (1.04 ± 0.20 vs. 0.48 ± 0.50 [p-value = .23]). Additionally, no significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the anthropometric status.

CONCLUSIONS

According to this study, the daily dose of 80 mg of vitamin B6 for 8 weeks in patients with bipolar disorder in the manic episode with psychotic feature treated daily with lithium, was not associated with a significant improvement in mood status compared to the control-placebo group. It is recommended to perform similar studies in a multi-center manner with a larger sample size and longer duration.

B Vitamins Supplementation Can Improve Cognitive Functions and May Relate to the Enhancement of Transketolase Activity in A Rat Model of Cognitive Impairment Associated with High-fat Diets

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether B vitamin treatment was sufficient to reduce cognitive impairment associated with high-fat diets in rats and to modulate transketolase (TK) expression and activity.

METHODS

To test this, we separated 50 rats into five groups that were either fed a standard chow diet (controls) or a high-fat diet (experimental groups H0, H1, H2, and H3). H0 group animals received no additional dietary supplementation, while H1 group animals were administered 100 mg/kg body weight (BW) thiamine, 100 mg/kg BW riboflavin, and 250 mg/kg BW niacin each day, and group H2 animals received daily doses of 100 mg/kg BW pyridoxine, 100 mg/kg BW cobalamin, and 5 mg/kg BW folate. Animals in the H3 group received the B vitamin regimens administered to both H1 and H2 each day.

RESULTS

Over time, group H0 exhibited greater increases in BW and fat mass relative to other groups. When spatial and memory capabilities in these animals were evaluated via conditioned taste aversion (CTA) and Morris Water Maze (MWM), we found B vitamin treatment was associated with significant improvements relative to untreated H0 controls. Similarly, B vitamin supplementation was associated with elevated TK expression in erythrocytes and hypothalamus of treated animals relative to those in H0 (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Together, these findings suggest B vitamin can modulate hypothalamic TK activity to reduce the severity of cognitive deficits in a rat model of obesity. As such, B vitamin supplementation may be a beneficial method for reducing cognitive dysfunction in clinical settings associated with high-fat diets.

Urinary Metabolomic Profiling Analysis and Evaluation of the Effect of Ecklonia cava Extract Intake

Metabolomics is a powerful tool for the investigation of interactions between diet, nutrients, and human metabolism. Ecklonia cava is an edible brown alga that is abundantly found in Korea and Japan and contains unique polyphenols referred to as phlorotannins. However, there are few metabolomics studies related to the effects of polyphenols in humans. In this study, we performed a mass spectrometry-based metabolomics analysis of urine samples from participants with a body mass index (BMI) higher than 25 kg/m2 and lower than 30 kg/m2 to investigate the effects of the intake of seapolynol isolated from E. cava. Metabolomic profiling showed that the levels of riboflavin, urocanic acid, 5-hydroxy-6-methoxyindole glucuronide, and guanidino valeric acid were significantly increased in the seapolynol intake group compared with the placebo group. A correlation analysis was performed to identify the association between the metabolites' levels and clinical characteristics related to body fat. Among the metabolites whose concentrations changed in the seapolynol intake group, riboflavin was associated with BMI, body weight, fat mass, and percent body fat. These findings suggest that the decreased body fat induced by the intake of seapolynol is related to an increase in the antioxidant effect of riboflavin.

Niacin increases diet-induced hepatic steatosis in B6129 mice

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a very common disorder affecting between 20 and 30% of adults in the United States. However, there is no effective pharmacotherapy for treating NAFLD. Niacin, a water-soluble vitamin (B3), at pharmacological doses, decreases hepatic triglyceride (TG) content in NAFLD through inhibition of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2, a key enzyme that catalyzes the final step in TG synthesis. Alternatively, some studies indicate that niacin induces fatty liver in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats. Therefore, in this study we investigated whether niacin is beneficial in treating NAFLD in two strains of mice, C57BL/6J (B6) and B6129SF2/J (B6129) mice, with 20 weeks of HFD feeding. Niacin treatment was started from week 5 until the end of the study. Niacin treatment increased normalized liver weight, hepatic TG content and NAFLD score in HFD-fed B6129 mice but had no impact on B6 mice. Metabolomics analysis revealed that in B6129 mice, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid (4-HPP), which is associated with fatty acid oxidation, did not change with HFD feeding but significantly decreased with niacin treatment. Lipidomics analysis discovered that the abundance of phosphocholine (PC), which is critical for very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-TG production and secretion, was decreased in HFD-fed B6129 with niacin treatment. In conclusion, niacin had no impact on diet-induced NAFLD development in B6 mice but potentiated hepatic steatosis in HFD-fed B6129 mice due to impaired fatty acid oxidation and decreased VLDL-TG production and secretion.