Research » Nutrigenomics Study Shows Dietary Anti-inflammatories Also Decrease Oxidation and Metabolic Stress in Overweight Men
Nutrigenomics Study Shows Dietary Anti-inflammatories Also Decrease Oxidation and Metabolic Stress in Overweight Men
Nutrigenomicsis the study of the relationships between dietary factors and individual genes. New nutrigenomic research was reported from the Netherlands in which a combination product of fish oil, green tea extract, resveratrol, vitamins C and E, and a tomato juice extract produced changes to genes associated with inflammation, blood vessel health, and oxidation of fat in the liver, according to findings published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
The researchers used a nutrigenomics approach, including proteomics, metabolomics, and transcriptomics, to assess 120 plasma proteins, 274 metabolites, and the transcriptomes of blood cells and fat tissue. The intervention proved beneficial in healthy but overweight men with mildly increased CRP, as shown by large-scale profiling of genes, proteins, and metabolites in plasma, urine, and adipose tissue. Though CRP levels were unchanged, the supplement was associated with a 7% increase in levels if adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory protein hormone linked to various metabolic processes where levels are also inversely related to body fat levels.
In addition to the improvements in adiponectin levels, PI Gertruud Bakker and her team noticed a "multitude of subtle changes...which indicated modulated inflammation of adipose tissue, improved endothelial function, affected oxidative stress, and increased liver fatty acid oxidation." The study was a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial that utilized 5-week periods for 36 subjects who consumed a supplement containing resveratrol (6.3mg), green tea extract (94.5 mg containing 40% EGCG), alpha-tocopherol (90.7 mg), vitamin C (125 mg), omega-3 fatty acids (1200 mg, of which 380 mg is EPA and 260 mg is DHA), and tomato extract (3.75 mg of lycopene).
The research team noted that the compounds were chosen in order to reproduce real life situations, and that levels were determined by data for their individual anti-inflammatory action. "A more optimal combination many exist," they noted.