Potential Relevance of Bioactive Peptides in Sports Nutrition

Inhibitory effect of tea flower polysaccharides on oxidative stress and microglial oxidative damage in aging mice by regulating gut microbiota

Tea flower polysaccharides (TFPS) have prominent anti-aging effect. In this study, we used an animal model of aging induced by D-galactose in mice to investigate the effect of TFPS on reducing inflammatory factors, lowering oxidative stress levels, and inhibiting oxidative damage to microglia from the perspective of regulating gut microbiota. The results showed that TFPS could improve the homeostasis of gut microbiota in aging mice, reduce the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidota, and significantly increase the abundance of Lactobacillus. At the same time, TFPS reduced the excessive activation of hippocampal microglia in aging mice, significantly down-regulated the levels of pro-inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and nuclear transcription factor NF-κB, increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, and POD, and reduced the content of MDA. Our research results indicate that TFPS can improve the disorder of gut microbiota, alleviate oxidative damage to glial cells, alleviate neuroinflammation, and play a role in delaying aging.

Injectable Therapeutic Peptides-An Adjunct to Regenerative Medicine and Sports Performance?

High-level athletes and bodybuilders are constantly seeking novel therapies to enhance recovery and expedite return from injury-injectable peptides are a new and trending therapy that may be the wave of the future in the realm of regenerative medicine research in treating joint injuries and osteoarthritis. Very early in vivo research on pharmacokinetics indicates the possibility that body protection compound 157 (BPC-157) is at the forefront of therapeutic peptides, with early demonstrations of this experimental peptide optimizing endurance training, metabolism, recovery, and tissue repair. Although unregulated and yet readily available for purchase over the internet, there is scarce orthopaedic literature investigating the clinical use and outcomes of such therapeutic peptides in tendon, muscle, and cartilage injury. However, this has not slowed the recent exponential growth of the multi-billion-dollar industry in the development of therapeutic peptides. As orthopaedic surgeons and team physicians, we should stay up to date with the latest pharmacokinetic, safety, ethical, and legal profiles and regulations regarding synthetic peptide supplementation for injury recovery and sports performance optimization in our patients, from elite athletes to fitness fanatics, because they will continue to seek the latest and greatest in treatment options and will be approaching us with questions on their results, risks, and benefits.

Whey-based sports supplements: Heat damage and protein breakdown after in vitro gastrointestinal digestion

This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of heat damage on the release of total amino acids (AA), essential AA (EAA), branched-chain AA (BCAA) and bioactive peptides following in vitro static simulated gastrointestinal digestion (SGID) of four commercial whey-protein based sports supplements. The extent of protein glycation and denaturation was evaluated through the determination of the content of furosine and soluble whey proteins. The strongest protein breakdown (41.3 %) and the highest release of AA, EAA and BCAA (36.20, 27.78, and 11.30 g/100 g protein, respectively) was observed in the sports supplement characterised by the lowest (52.5 %) level of soluble whey proteins; whereas the protein glycation had a negligible impact on the studied parameters. The SGID also led to the release of several peptides with various reported bioactivities that may be beneficial to sports activity.

Bioactive peptides in dry-cured ham: A comprehensive review of preparation methods, metabolic stability, safety, health benefits, and regulatory frameworks

Dry-cured hams contain abundant bioactive peptides with significant potential for the development of functional foods. However, the limited bioavailability of food-derived bioactive peptides has hindered their utilization in health food development. Moreover, there is insufficient regulatory information regarding bioactive peptides and related products globally. This review summarizes diverse bioactive peptides derived from dry-cured ham and by-products originating from various countries and regions. The bioactivity, preparation techniques, bioavailability, and metabolic stability of these bioactive peptides are described, as well as the legal and regulatory frameworks in various countries. The primary objectives of this review are to dig deeper into the functionality of dry-cured ham and provide theoretical support for the commercialization of bioactive peptides from food sources, especially the dry-cured ham.

Plant-Based Proteins, Peptides and Amino Acids in Food Products Dedicated for Sportspeople-A Narrative Review of the Literature

Plant proteins are increasingly seen as critical nutrient sources for both amateur and professional athletes. The aim of the presented study was to review the inventions and experimental articles referring to the application of plant-based proteins, peptides and amino acids in food products dedicated to sportspeople and published in the period 2014-2023. The literature search was conducted according to PRISMA statementsacross several key databases, including Scopus and ISI Web of Science. Altogether, 106 patents and 35 original articles were found. The survey of patents and inventions described in the articles showed the use of 52 taxa (mainly annual herbaceous plants), creating edible seeds and representing mainly the families Fabaceae and Poaceae. The majority of inventions were developed by research teams numbering from two to five scientists, affiliated in China, The United States of America and Japan. The greatest number of inventions applied plant-based proteins (especially protein isolates), declared the nutritional activity and were prepared in liquid or solid consistency. According to the reviewed studies, the intake of soybean and potato proteins might provide better results than animal-based protein (excluding resistance training), whereas the consumption of pea and rice protein does not possess any unique anabolic properties over whey protein. The analysis of other investigations demonstrated the varied acceptability and consumption of food products, while the high rating of the tested food products presented in four articles seems to be an effect of their sensual values, as well as other elements, such as production method, health benefits and cost-effectiveness. Considering the great potential of useful plant species, it might be concluded that future investigations focusing on searching for novel plant protein sources, suitable for the preparation of food products dedicated to amateur and professional sportspeople, remain of interest.

Reduction in systemic muscle stress markers after exercise-induced muscle damage following concurrent training and supplementation with specific collagen peptides - a randomized controlled trial

Introduction

Collagen peptide supplementation in conjunction with exercise has been shown to improve structural and functional adaptations of both muscles and the extracellular matrix. This study aimed to explore whether specific collagen peptide (SCP) supplementation combined with a concurrent training intervention can improve muscular stress after exercise-induced muscle damage, verified by reliable blood markers.

Methods

55 sedentary to moderately active males participating in a concurrent training (CT) intervention (3x/week) for 12 weeks were administered either 15 g of SCP or placebo (PLA) daily. Before (T1) and after the intervention (T2), 150 muscle-damaging drop jumps were performed. Blood samples were collected to measure creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), myoglobin (MYO) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) before, after, and at 2 h, 24 h and 48 h post exercise.

Results

A combination of concurrent training and SCP administration showed statistically significant interaction effects, implying a lower increase in the area under the curve (AUC) of MYO (p = 0.004, ηp2 = 0.184), CK (p = 0.01, ηp2 = 0.145) and LDH (p = 0.016, ηp2 = 0.133) in the SCP group. On closer examination, the absolute mean differences (ΔAUCs) showed statistical significance in MYO (p = 0.017, d = 0.771), CK (p = 0.039, d = 0.633) and LDH (p = 0.016, d = 0.764) by SCP supplementation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, 12 weeks of 15 g SCP supplementation combined with CT intervention reduced acute markers of exercise-induced muscle damage and improved post-exercise regenerative capacity, as evidenced by the altered post-exercise time course. The current findings indicate that SCP supplementation had a positive effect on the early phase of muscular recovery by either improving the structural integrity of the muscle and extracellular matrix during the training period or by accelerating membrane and cytoskeletal protein repair.

Clinical trial registration

https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05220371?cond=NCT05220371&rank=1, NCT05220371.

Discovery of new functions of food proteins and their structural development for multifunctional applications

Proteins and peptides derived from various food sources are used in a variety of applications, including functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. The three-dimensional structure of proteins provides useful insights into their functions and essential information for the creation of proteins with new functions. In this review, a series of functional conversion technologies based on protein structural information derived from foods traditionally consumed in Japan, such as natto (fermented soybeans) and rice, are introduced. For natto, we first identified 2 types of Bacillus subtilis-derived endolytic and exolytic enzymes with different modes of action on soybean cell wall polysaccharides and then focused on the technology used to create an endolytic enzyme from an exolytic enzyme. By applying this technology, a method for creating novel bioactive peptides from rice seed proteins was established. The modified peptides created could provide diverse options for the production of substances such as pharmaceuticals and cosmetic materials.

Food-derived bioactive peptides as momentous food components: Can functional peptides passed through the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and NF-κB pathway to repair and protect the skeletal muscle injury?

Muscle injury is defined as an overuse injury or traumatic distraction of a muscle, which is latent in any sport event, from amateur to large events. Based on previous numbers of muscle injuries and time spent to the athletes' recovery, the use of dietary functional factors intervention strategies is essential to enhance the recovery process and health. In recent years, there has been increasing evidence that biologically active peptides played an important role in sports nutrition and muscle injure recovery. Food-derived bioactive peptides were physiologically active peptides mostly derived from proteins following hydrolysis, which could be resorbed in intact form to reduce muscle damage following exercise and induce beneficial adaptions within the connective tissue. However, the complexity of the histoarchitectural considerations for skeletal muscle injuries and the repair mechanism of damaged skeletal muscle were not well known. In the following overview, the potential mechanisms and possible limitations regarding the damaged skeletal muscle metabolism were summarized, which aimed to present an overview of the nutritional strategies and recommendations after a muscular sports injury, emphasizing the use of main bioactive peptides. In addition, this review will provide implications for the studies of dietary bioactive peptides in the future.

Antioxidant Capacity and Protective Effect of Cow Placenta Extract on D-Galactose-Induced Skin Aging in Mice

Placental extract has been used for skin care and delaying skin aging. Cow placenta is an abundant resource with a large mass, which has not been harnessed effectively. Cow placenta extract (CPE) has the functions of antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, promoting growth and development, and promoting hair growth. However, little is known about the effect of oral administration of cow placenta extract on skin conditions. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant capacity of CPE in vitro and in vivo and its protective effect on d-galactose (D-gal) induced skin aging in mice. The results showed that CPE had strong free radical scavenging, reducing and metal chelating activities. CPE can increase the activity of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the content of glutathione (GSH), decrease the content of malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, CPE can decrease the gene and protein expression of matrix metalloproteinase 1a (MMP-1a) and matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3) and increase the expression of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) of mouse skin. Histopathological analysis showed CPE reduced the collagen damage caused by D-gal, increased collagen synthesis and reduced its degradation to delay skin aging.