Effect of Resveratrol Administration on the Element Metabolism in the Blood and Brain Tissues of Rats Subjected to Acute Swimming Exercise

Effects of Functional Phenolics Dietary Supplementation on Athletes' Performance and Recovery: A Review

In recent years, many efforts have been made to identify micronutrients or nutritional strategies capable of preventing, or at least, attenuating, exercise-induced muscle damage and oxidative stress, and improving athlete performance. The reason is that most exercises induce various changes in mitochondria and cellular cytosol that lead to the generation of reactive species and free radicals whose accumulation can be harmful to human health. Among them, supplementation with phenolic compounds seems to be a promising approach since their chemical structure, composed of catechol, pyrogallol, and methoxy groups, gives them remarkable health-promoting properties, such as the ability to suppress inflammatory processes, counteract oxidative damage, boost the immune system, and thus, reduce muscle soreness and accelerate recovery. Phenolic compounds have also already been shown to be effective in improving temporal performance and reducing psychological stress and fatigue. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize and discuss the current knowledge on the effects of dietary phenolics on physical performance and recovery in athletes and sports practitioners. Overall, the reports show that phenolics exert important benefits on exercise-induced muscle damage as well as play a biological/physiological role in improving physical performance.

Resveratrol improves cognition and decreases amyloid plaque formation in Tg6799 mice

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible, progressive neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system that causes severe cognitive impairment. One of the most significant pathological features of AD is the accumulation of β‑amyloid (Aβ) peptide in the brain. Resveratrol (Res) is a polyphenol derived from peanuts, red grapes and other plants, which has received increasing attention due to its neuroprotective features. Tg6799 mice are transgenic mice with five familial AD (FAD) mutations that are also known as 5XFAD mice. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Res on Tg6799 mice. The transgenic mice were randomly divided into the Res treatment group and the vehicle control group, and were treated with 0.5% Res solution (60 mg/kg) or volume‑matched normal saline, respectively. Treatment was administered by oral gavage daily for 60 consecutive days. Res reduced amyloid plaque formation and the levels of Aβ42, and β‑secretase 1 levels were also significantly decreased. Furthermore, Res was able to reduce the expression of amyloid precursor protein and its cleavage products. The administration of Res to Tg6799 mice also improved their spatial working memory, as measured by the Y‑maze test, and rescued spatial memory deficits, as measured using the Morris water maze test; however, Res did not affect their motor function. In conclusion, this study suggested that Res may reduce Aβ‑induced neuronal damage, thus preventing memory loss.

White grape juice increases high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and reduces body mass index and abdominal and waist circumference in women

OBJECTIVES

Grape juice is a drink that is rich in phenolic compounds, which are important natural antioxidants that reduce the incidence of diseases linked to oxidative stress including cardiovascular disease. Studies on the effects of purple grape juice supplementation have already been conducted; however, there are no data on the effects of the consumption of white grape juice (WGJ) to date. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of WGJ supplementation on body mass index, waist and abdominal circumference, blood pressure and glucose, insulin, oxidative damage, and lipid profile in women.

METHODS

A total of 25 women, ages 50 to 67 y, were included in this study. The volunteers were instructed to consume 7 mL/Kg/d of WGJ (Vitis labrusca) without other changes in diet energy consumption or habitual lifestyle. The supplementation occurred over 30 d. Anthropometric data and blood samples were collected before and after the intervention.

RESULTS

Supplementation with WGJ reduced the women's body mass index and waist and abdominal circumference (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in blood pressure before and after the consumption of WGJ. In addition, no changes in blood glucose, insulin, and levels of oxidative damage were found. Women who supplemented with WGJ showed an increase of 16% in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels.

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrate that the consumption of WGJ can improve metabolic parameters in women, which may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Selenium-Chromium(VI) Interaction Regulates the Contents and Correlations of Trace Elements in Chicken Brain and Serum

This study aims to investigate the contents of trace elements in the brain and serum of male chickens and the effect of selenium-chromium(VI) interaction. A chronic experimental model was established by supplementing 22.14 mg/kg K₂Cr₂O₇ with 0.00, 0.31, 0.63, 1.25, 2.50, and 5.00 mg/kg Na₂SeO₃ mg/kg B.W. to water for chicken daily. After 14, 28, and 42 days of exposure to the solution, the brain and serum of chickens from each group were collected to detect the levels of Ca, Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Mg by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). Cr(VI) time-dependently accumulated in the brain and serum. The contents of Cr increased both in the brain and serum with prolonged exposure. Cr contents in the brain and serum decreased in all Se groups compared with those in only Cr-treated groups. Ca contents decreased with prolonged exposure and increasing Se dosage. The contents of Cu and Mn increased on the 28th day but decreased on the 42nd day in the brain and serum. Fe and Zn contents decreased in the serum under prolonged exposure and increased on the 28th day but decreased on the 42nd day in the brain. Cr exposure did not significantly affect Mg contents in the brain but slightly decreased those in the serum. Therefore, appropriate doses of Se affected Cr accumulation, leading to adjustments in the contents and correlations of trace elements.