Effects of zeolite supplementation on parameters of intestinal barrier integrity, inflammation, redoxbiology and performance in aerobically trained subjects

BACKGROUND

Zeolites are crystalline compounds with microporous structures of Si-tetrahedrons. In the gut, these silicates could act as adsorbents, ion-exchangers, catalysts, detergents or anti-diarrheic agents. This study evaluated whether zeolite supplementation affects biomarkers of intestinal wall permeability and parameters of oxidation and inflammation in aerobically trained individuals, and whether it could improve their performance.

METHODS

In a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial, 52 endurance trained men and women, similar in body fat, non-smokers, 20-50 years, received 1.85 g of zeolite per day for 12 weeks. Stool samples for determination of intestinal wall integrity biomarkers were collected. From blood, markers of redox biology, inflammation, and DNA damage were determined at the beginning and the end of the study. In addition, VO2max and maximum performance were evaluated at baseline and after 12 weeks of treatment. For statistical analyses a 2-factor ANOVA was used.

RESULTS

At baseline both groups showed slightly increased stool zonulin concentrations above normal. After 12 weeks with zeolite zonulin was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in the supplemented group. IL-10 increased tendentially (p < 0.1) in the zeolite group. There were no significant changes observed in the other measured parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Twelve weeks of zeolite supplementation exerted beneficial effects on intestinal wall integrity as indicated via decreased concentrations of the tight junction modulator zonulin. This was accompanied by mild anti-inflammatory effects in this cohort of aerobically trained subjects. Further research is needed to explore mechanistic explanations for the observations in this study.

Application of Hyperbaric Oxygen Reduce Oxidative Damage of Plasmatic Carbonyl Proteins and 8-OHdG by Activating Glutathion Peroxidase

BACKGROUND

It is postulated that application of hyperbaric oxygenation may induce the production of radicals after HBO. Higher oxygenation and transport of oxygen increase the mitochondrial energy turnover, whereas inner mitochondrial radical formation decreases.

METHODS

Several markers of oxidative stress in healthy volunteers (n = 21), including plasma carbonyl proteins (CP), malondialdehyde (MDA), oxidized LDL (oxLDL), 8-hydroxy-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), and erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity are measured before, during, and after HBO.

RESULTS

Median plasma concentrations of CP decreased significantly during HBO compared to CP levels before HBO (from 77.1 to 61.7 pmol/mg; p < 0.001) and increased again after HBO (to 78.1 pmol/mg; p = 0.035). 8-OHdG decreased significantly during HBO (8.1 ng/mL; p < 0.001) and remained constant after HBO (8.1 ng/mL) compared to "before HBO" (9.4 ng/mL). MDA increased significantly from 0.92 μM (before HBO) to 1.26 μM (during HBO, p < 0.01) and decreased again to 1.00 μM (after HBO, p = 0.023). Erythrocyte GPx activity also increased significantly during HBO (26.5 ± 14.7; p = 0.005), but not after HBO (25.6 ± 17.2 IU/mg). A negative correlation was observed between GPx and MDA only during HBO (r = -0.518; p = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS

We assume that higher oxygen consumption decreases, on the one hand, the inner mitochondrial generation of free radicals and, on the other, RONS by activation of detoxifying enzymes like GPx.

Supplementation with a juice powder concentrate and exercise decrease oxidation and inflammation, and improve the microcirculation in obese women: randomised controlled trial data

Obesity and sedentary lifestyle are associated with increased oxidative stress, inflammation and vessel dysfunction. Previous research has shown that an encapsulated fruit/berry/vegetable juice powder (FBV) supplement or controlled exercise training improve the markers of redox biology, low-grade inflammation and circulation. The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of 8 weeks of supplementation with FBV or placebo, and a single bout of controlled walking on the markers of oxidation, inflammation and skin capillary microcirculation in forty-two obese pre-menopausal women (41 (SD 5) years, non-smokers and BMI 34·5 (SD 3·8) kg/m(2)) using a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. All assessments were made before and after 8 weeks of capsule supplementation, and pre- and post-30 min of controlled treadmill walking at 70 % of VO2max. Venous blood was collected for the determination of carbonyl proteins (CP), oxidised LDL (ox-LDL), total oxidation status (TOS) of lipids, malondialdehyde, TNF-α and IL-6. Capillary blood flow, O2 saturation of Hb (SO2Hb) and the relative concentration of Hb (rHb) were assessed at a 2 mm skin depth. Following 8 weeks of supplementation, compared with placebo, the FBV group had a significant (P< 0·05) reduction in CP, ox-LDL, TOS and TNF-α, and a significant increase in blood flow, SO2Hb and rHb. Independent of supplementation, moderate exercise significantly increased blood flow and rHb, with a trend towards increased SO2Hb. Compared with placebo, 8 weeks of supplementation with FBV decreased the markers of systemic oxidation and inflammation. Both FBV supplementation and a single walking bout improved the markers of the microcirculation in these obese women.

Probiotic supplementation affects markers of intestinal barrier, oxidation, and inflammation in trained men; a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial

Background

Probiotics are an upcoming group of nutraceuticals claiming positive effects on athlete’s gut health, redox biology and immunity but there is lack of evidence to support these statements.

Methods

We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial to observe effects of probiotic supplementation on markers of intestinal barrier, oxidation and inflammation, at rest and after intense exercise. 23 trained men received multi-species probiotics (10¹⁰ CFU/day, Ecologic®Performance or OMNi-BiOTiC®POWER, n = 11) or placebo (n = 12) for 14 weeks and performed an intense cycle ergometry over 90 minutes at baseline and after 14 weeks. Zonulin and α1-antitrypsin were measured from feces to estimate gut leakage at baseline and at the end of treatment. Venous blood was collected at baseline and after 14 weeks, before and immediately post exercise, to determine carbonyl proteins (CP), malondialdehyde (MDA), total oxidation status of lipids (TOS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Statistical analysis used multifactorial analysis of variance (ANOVA). Level of significance was set at p < 0.05, a trend at p < 0.1.

Results

Zonulin decreased with supplementation from values slightly above normal into normal ranges (<30 ng/ml) and was significantly lower after 14 weeks with probiotics compared to placebo (p = 0.019). We observed no influence on α1-antitrypsin (p > 0.1). CP increased significantly from pre to post exercise in both groups at baseline and in the placebo group after 14 weeks of treatment (p = 0.006). After 14 weeks, CP concentrations were tendentially lower with probiotics (p = 0.061). TOS was slightly increased above normal in both groups, at baseline and after 14 weeks of treatment. There was no effect of supplementation or exercise on TOS. At baseline, both groups showed considerably higher TNF-α concentrations than normal. After 14 weeks TNF-α was tendentially lower in the supplemented group (p = 0.054). IL-6 increased significantly from pre to post exercise in both groups (p = 0.001), but supplementation had no effect. MDA was not influenced, neither by supplementation nor by exercise.

Conclusions

The probiotic treatment decreased Zonulin in feces, a marker indicating enhanced gut permeability. Moreover, probiotic supplementation beneficially affected TNF-α and exercise induced protein oxidation. These results demonstrate promising benefits for probiotic use in trained men.

Clinical trial registry

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier: NCT01474629

Single bouts of exercise affect albumin redox state and carbonyl groups on plasma protein of trained men in a workload-dependent manner

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of single bouts of exercise at three different intensities on the redox state of human serum albumin (HSA) and on carbonyl groups on protein (CP) concentrations in plasma. Trained men [n = 44, maximal oxygen consumption (Vo(2max)): 55 +/- 5 ml.kg(-1).min(-1), nonsmokers, 34 +/- 5 years of age] from a homogenous population, volunteers from a police special forces unit, were randomly assigned to perform on a cycle ergometer either at 70% (n = 14), 75% (n = 14), or 80% (n = 16) of Vo(2max) for 40 min. Blood was collected before exercise, immediately after the exercise test (IE), and 30 min after each test (30M) and 30 h after each test (30H). The reduced fraction of HSA, human mercaptalbumin (HMA), decreased at all three exercise intensities IE and 30M, returning to preexercise values by 30H (P < 0.05). HMA was primarily oxidized to its reversible fraction human nonmercaptalbumin 1 (HNA1). CP concentrations increased at 75% of Vo(2max) IE and 30M with a tendency (P < 0.1) and at 80% Vo(2max) IE and 30M significantly, returning to preexercise concentrations by 30H (P < 0.01). These results indicate that the HSA redox system in plasma is activated after a single bout of cycle ergometer exercise at 70% Vo(2max) and 40 min duration. The extent of the HSA modification increased with exercise intensity. Oxidative protein damage, as indicated by CP, was only significantly increased at 80% Vo(2max) intensity in this homogenous cohort of trained men.

Several indicators of oxidative stress, immunity, and illness improved in trained men consuming an encapsulated juice powder concentrate for 28 weeks

Phytonutrients from plant foods provide numerous antioxidants. We hypothesized that supplementation for 28 wk with a commercially available encapsulated juice powder concentrate (JPC) could influence indicators of oxidative stress, immunity, and illness. Trained men (n = 41; 34 +/- 5 y; maximum oxygen uptake = 55 +/- 7 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1)) from a homogenous police Special Forces unit were randomly assigned in a double blind manner to either JPC (n = 21) or placebo (n = 20). We used multiple 7-d food records to assess dietary intake and found inadequate mean daily fruit and vegetable consumption (3.2 +/- 1.2 servings). The group physician documented all duty days lost due to illness. We collected plasma at baseline and study wk 4, 8, 16, and 28 for analysis of carbonyl groups on protein (CP) and TNFalpha. Over the 28-wk investigation, CP was lower in the JPC group, with both a treatment and a time x treatment interaction (P < 0.05). Concentrations of both CP and TNFalpha at 16 and 28 wk were lower in the JPC than in the placebo group (P < 0.001). TNFalpha increased during the first 8 wk followed by a decrease in both groups for the following 20 wk (P < 0.001). Over the final 20 wk of the study, the placebo group tended to have more days of illness than the JPC group (P = 0.068). These data suggest beneficial JPC effects with regard to reduction of duty days lost due to illness and reduction of CP and TNFalpha concentrations in this group of trained men over 28 wk.