A blend of chlorophytum borivilianum and velvet bean increases serum growth hormone in exercise-trained men

Low dietary oyster mushroom spent substrate limitedly ameliorates detrimental effects of feeding combined marula seed cake and mucuna seed meal as soya bean replacements in broiler chickens

This study investigated ameliorative effects of dietary oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) spent substrate (OMSS) in broiler chickens fed diets supplemented with combined marula seed cake (MSC) and mucuna seed meal (MSM) replacing soya bean meal (SBM). In a completely randomised design (CRD), 400 day-old Ross 308 chicks were randomly allocated to 5 iso-nitrogenous-energetic diets (control with 100% SBM, control with 60% MSC and 40% MSM replacing SBM (MSC + MSM), MSC + MSM with 1.25% OMSS, MSC + MSM with 2.5% OMSS, and MSC + MSM with 5% OMSS) each with 8 replicate pens of 10 during starter, grower and finisher phases. Dietary MSC + MSM decreased (P < 0.001) feed intake (FI), body weight gain (BWG), and feed conversion efficiency (FCE); slaughter weight, hot carcass weight (HCW), cold carcass weight (CCW), breast weight, and back lengths (P < 0.001); serum SDMA and alanine transaminase (P < 0.05). In contrast, it increased the weights of the thigh (P < 0.001), wing (P < 0.01), liver (P < 0.001), proventriculus (P < 0.001), gizzard (P < 0.001), duodenum (P < 0.001), jejunum (P < 0.001), ileum (P < 0.001), and caecum (P < 0.01) and serum alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05) and cholesterol (P < 0.01). Further, it increased meat redness and decreased its hue angle at 45 min post-slaughter (P < 0.01) whilst it decreased its pH (P < 0.01) and increased its shear force (P < 0.05) at 24 h post-slaughter. Compared to higher levels, low (1.25%) dietary OMSS improved, though limitedly, FI, BWG, and FCE at grower and finisher phases only (P < 0.001) whilst it reversed MSC plus MSM-induced deleterious effects on slaughter weight, HCW, and CCW (P < 0.001) and increases in gizzard weight (P < 0.001) and meat shear force at 24 h post-slaughter (P < 0.05). Otherwise, OMSS generally decreased (P < 0.05) serum SDMA and alanine transaminase whilst it abrogated and augmented increases in serum alkaline phosphatase (P < 0.05) and cholesterol (P < 0.01), respectively, and reversed the increase and decrease in meat redness (P < 0.01) and hue angle (P < 0.05), respectively. In conclusion, dietary replacement of SBM with combined MSC plus MSM induced deleterious effects in broiler chickens that were limitedly abrogated by low (1.25%) inclusion level of OMSS.

Dietary supplementation of low levels of unprocessed Mucuna pruriens utilis seed meal induces mild antinutritional entero-physio-metabolic perturbations without compromising performance and meat quality in finisher broilers

The rapidly growing world human population accentuates the need for improved production especially of protein-rich food. Broiler meat production offers opportunity to ensure security of this food. However, the production of modern broilers is not only limited by high feed costs due to dietary use of expensive energy and protein sources but also their meat possesses undesirable quality attributes. This study thus examined the effect of dietary Mucuna pruriens utilis seed meal (MSM) on growth performance, blood profile, carcass traits, and meat quality in finisher broiler chickens. In a completely randomised design (CRD), 320 21-day-old chicks were randomly allocated to 32 pens in which they were allotted 4 dietary treatments with 0, 2.5, 5, and 10% MSM, each with 8 replicate pens of 10 birds, for 28 days. Growth performance, carcass characteristics, internal organs, haemato-biochemistry, and meat quality were measured. Results showed that dietary MSM did not affect (P > 0.05) broiler performance, weights, and lengths of carcass cuts and internal organs, haematology, and meat quality. The only exception was MSM-induced increase in duodenal weight (linear, P < 0.05) and serum phosphorus (quadratic, P = 0.05) in contrast to a decrease in procalcitonin (quadratic, P < 0.01) and serum levels of total protein (linear, P < 0.05; and quadratic, P < 0.01), albumin (quadratic, P < 0.05), and bilirubin (quadratic, P = 0.001). Therefore, MSM could be supplemented up to 10% without compromising performance, carcass traits, internal organs, haemato-biochemistry, and meat quality in finisher broiler diets.

Risk Associated with the Use of Selected Ingredients in Food Supplements

This review focuses on four new product categories of food supplements: pre-workout, fat burner/thermogenic, brain/cognitive booster, and hormone/testosterone booster. Many food supplements have been shown to be contaminated with unauthorized substances. In some cases, the ingredients in the new categories of dietary supplements were medicinal products or new synthetic compounds added without performing clinical trials. Some of the new ingredients in dietary supplements are plant materials that are registered in the pharmacopoeia as herbal medicines. In other cases, dietary supplements may contain plant materials that have no history of human use and are often used as materials to 'camouflage' stimulants. In the European Union, new ingredients of dietary supplements, according to European Food Safety Authority or unauthorized novel food. Furthermore, selected ingredients in dietary supplements may be prohibited in sports and are recognized as doping agents by World Anti-Doping Agency.

Vincent G, Gupta C, Irwin C, Khalesi S. Effects of Diet on Sleep: A Narrative Review

Many processes are involved in sleep regulation, including the ingestion of nutrients, suggesting a link between diet and sleep. Aside from studies investigating the effects of tryptophan, previous research on sleep and diet has primarily focused on the effects of sleep deprivation or sleep restriction on diet. Furthermore, previous reviews have included subjects with clinically diagnosed sleep-related disorders. The current narrative review aimed to clarify findings on sleep-promoting foods and outline the effects of diet on sleep in otherwise healthy adults. A search was undertaken in August 2019 from the Cochrane, MEDLINE (PubMed), and CINAHL databases using the population, intervention, control, outcome (PICO) method. Eligible studies were classified based on emerging themes and reviewed using narrative synthesis. Four themes emerged: tryptophan consumption and tryptophan depletion, dietary supplements, food items, and macronutrients. High carbohydrate diets, and foods containing tryptophan, melatonin, and phytonutrients (e.g., cherries), were linked to improved sleep outcomes. The authors posit that these effects may be due in part to dietary influences on serotonin and melatonin activity.

A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind comparative pilot study to evaluate the efficacy of Chlorophytum borivilianum on physical performance

OBJECTIVES:

The objective was to study the adaptogenic effect of Chlorophytum borivilianum (CB) on physical performance when exposed to accustomed activity (AA) and unaccustomed activity (UA) and the effect of CB on heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) in the presence of UA and the effect on muscle strength in comparison with placebo.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

A placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical study was initiated after ethics committee approval in healthy volunteers with fixed-dose regimen. Consented volunteers (n = 60) were assigned randomly into two groups of study drug (3 g/day) or placebo (3 g/day) for 2 months. They were evaluated at days 0, 30, and 60 with physical stressors (6-min walk test [6MWT] – distance, HR, and BP; 6-min exercise test [6ETC] – distance, maximum and average speed; and fixed workload test [FWT] – systolic BP, diastolic BP [DBP], and HR on cycle ergometer) and Jammar's dynamometer test for handgrip strength test on each visit.

RESULTS:

In 6MWT in CB group, distance on day 30 (456 ± 42.1) and day 60 (468.3 ± 0.4) was significantly increased when compared with day 30 (422.6 ± 45.7) and day 60 (419.6 ± 45.1) of the placebo group. On day 60, distance in 6ETC in CB group was 2.92 ± 0.6 which was significantly more than that of placebo group 2.4 ± 0.6. On day 60, in FWT, DBP in the CB group was 75.8 ± 4.4 which was significantly low compared to the placebo group 82.4 ± 7.4 (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION:

CB increased physical performance when exposed to AA even after one month and in case of UA increase in performance was seen when CB was administered for two months thus validating its adaptogenic (anti-stress) potential.

A dietary supplement containing chlorophytum borivilianum and velvet bean improves sleep quality in men and women

BACKGROUND

Impaired sleep quality is commonplace within industrialized societies, as evidenced by the increasing number of prescription sleep aids available. Certain herbal preparations have been suggested to provide a natural benefit to sleep; however, limited controlled data are available documenting this benefit. In the present study we tested the effect of an experimental dietary supplement, containing the active ingredients Chlorophytum borivilianum and Velvet bean, on sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI).

METHODS

Eighteen healthy and active men and women, with evidence of impaired sleep quality, consumed the supplement daily for 28 days. The PSQI was administered before and after the intervention period. As indicators of safety, resting heart rate and blood pressure were measured, and a complete blood count, comprehensive metabolic panel, and lipid panel were determined.

RESULTS

Sleep quality was influenced by the supplement, as evidenced by an improvement in every category of the PSQI questionnaire (P < 0.05), with most category scores improving approximately 50% from pre to post intervention. No adverse outcomes were noted with use of the supplement, as indicated by no change in resting heart rate, blood pressure, or any bloodborne parameter.

CONCLUSIONS

An investigational dietary supplement containing the active ingredients Chlorophytum borivilianum and Velvet bean improves sleep quality in men and women. Additional placebo controlled trials are needed to corroborate these findings in individuals with self-reported sleeping difficulty.