Effects of chicken essence tablets on resting metabolic rate

In Vitro and In Vivo Functional Characterization of Essence of Chicken as An Ergogenic Aid

Essence of chicken is a popular Asian nutritional supplement that is often taken to improve metabolism and general health. Although used as a traditional remedy for combating fatigue and general health, there has been few studies investigating the ergogenic properties of chicken essence and its associated mechanism. We conducted a study to investigate the anti-fatigue and anti-oxidant properties of essence of chicken (EC) after exercise. Six weeks old male Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were divided to four groups (10 mice/group) and were provided different doses of Essence of Chicken (EC): (1) Vehicle (water), (2) EC-0.5X (558 mg/kg), (3) EC-1X (1117 mg/kg), and (4) EC-2X (2234 mg/kg). EC supplementation could improve endurance and grip strength (p < 0.0001) and it had significant effects on the fatigue-related biochemical markers: ammonia, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatine kinase (CK) levels were significantly lowered, while glucose blood levels and lactate clearance were improved after exercise challenge. Muscle and liver glycogen levels, muscle and liver superoxide dismutase (SOD), hepatic catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) levels were observed to increase with EC supplementation. Preliminary in vitro data suggests that EC may have a beneficial effect in muscle mass and strength. No abnormalities were observed from pathohistological examination. Our study suggests that the EC could significantly improve exercise performance and endurance capacity and that the anti-oxidant properties of EC may be an important contributing factor to its anti-fatigue effects.

Effectiveness of Essence of Chicken on Cognitive Function Improvement: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

High-quality, adequately-powered clinical trials investigating the effect of Essence of Chicken (EC) on cognitive function are lacking. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial on healthy adult volunteers to determine the effect of EC on short-term memory, working memory, and selective and sustained attention. As a secondary objective, we evaluated baseline stress as a modifying factor by including treatment, stress and visit as main effects in a three-way ANOVA model. Cognitive function was evaluated at baseline, and Days 7 and 14. Data from 235 participants were analyzed on a per-protocol basis. The three-way interaction effect was significant (p = 0.020) in Digit Span Forward and further analyses showed EC improved test performance in moderate (p = 0.041) and severe stress (p = 0.065) but not in normal and mild stress subgroups. In Digit Span Backward, EC group showed greater improvement compared to placebo (p = 0.028), with 0.60 digits (8.50% improvement from baseline) more recalled on Day 7. No treatment or interaction effects were statistically significant in selective and sustained attention tests. Our findings support EC’s effect in improving mental processes used in working memory among healthy adults and short-term memory among healthy adults experiencing stress in daily life.

Postprandial thermic effect of chicken involves thyroid hormones and hepatic energy metabolism in rats

We investigated the postprandial thermic effect of chicken and its mechanisms in rats. A chicken diet showed a strong thermic effect after consumption, and the removal of fat induced more rapid and stronger thermogenesis. Although thermogenesis induced by a purified chicken protein diet was also strong, the thermic reaction was not so rapid and a remarkable rise of peripheral temperatures was not observed. Defatted chicken and purified chicken protein activated the thyroid hormone system and up-regulated rate-limiting enzyme genes of glucose metabolism and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle in the liver. Moreover, chicken protein up-regulated the mRNA expression of a rate-limiting enzyme of hepatic lipid metabolism. It is possible that the mechanisms by which body temperature is raised are different between chicken protein and defatted chicken. On the other hand, it is possible that chicken fat suppressed the expression of energy metabolism-related genes that was induced by the consumption of lean chicken. As a result, a rise of postprandial body temperature might not have been induced after consumption of chicken fat. These results suggest that the consumption of lean chicken activates the thyroid hormone system and hepatic energy metabolism and consequently induces the postprandial thermic effect of chicken.

Bioactivities of chicken essence

The special flavor and health effects of chicken essence are being widely accepted by people. Scientific researches are revealing its truth as a tonic food in traditional health preservation. Chicken essence has been found to possess many bioactivities including relief of stress and fatigue, amelioration of anxiety, promotion of metabolisms and post-partum lactation, improvement on hyperglycemia and hypertension, enhancement of immune, and so on. These activities of chicken essence are suggested to be related with its active components, including proteins, dipeptides (such as carnosine and anserine), polypeptides, minerals, trace elements, and multiple amino acids, and so on. Underlying mechanisms responsible for the bioactivities of chicken essence are mainly related with anti-stress, anti-oxidant, and neural regulation effects. However, the mechanisms are complicated and may be mediated via the combined actions of many active components, more than the action of 1 or 2 components alone.

The Combined Effects of Capsaicin, Green Tea Extract and Chicken Essence Tablets on Human Autonomic Nervous System Activity

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether combined capsaicin, green tea, and chicken essence tablets (CCGC) enhance human autonomic nervous activities (ANS) associated with thermogenic sympathetic activity without any adverse effect on the cardiac depolarization-repolarization period. Six healthy males (25.2 +/-1.7 y) volunteered for this experiment. Autonomic nervous activities were examined 5-min at rest per 30-min for total 1.5 h after consuming chicken or CCGC or placebo tablets at random on separate days. Using heart rate variability power spectral analysis, we assessed human autonomic nervous activities. In comparison to chicken essence or placebo tablets, it was observed that the consumption of CCGC significantly increased human autonomic nervous activities [Total power representing over-all ANS activity; CCGC trial 160.2 (50.0) vs. placebo 92.8 (53.3)%, p < 0.05; VLF, very low-frequency power associated with thermogenic sympathetic activity: CCGC trial 235.5 (101.7) vs. chicken 130.5 (52.9)%, p < 0.05; LF, low frequency power representing combined sympatho-vagal activity: CCGC trial 199.8 (59.8) vs. placebo 120.6 (49.2)%, p < 0.05] at 60-min and 90-min. There were no significant differences in heart rate corrected cardiac recovery time (RTc) or QT interval (QTc). In conclusion, the consumption of CCGC enhances thermogenic sympathetic activity compared to that of chicken essence or placebo tablets. Therefore, these results suggest that combined capsaicin, green tea, and chicken essence tablets may be a beneficial food ingredient improving human autonomic nervous activities, particularly thermogenic sympathetic activity as a modulator of energy metabolism without any adverse effects on cardiac electrical stability.