Evaluating the effects of Bacopa monnieri on cognitive performance and sleep quality of patients with mild cognitive impairment: A triple-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Mild cognitive impairment is the middle level of natural cognitive impairment during primary steps of dementia. There are a few studies about improving the cognitive performance and sleep quality in patients with a limited dementia. So, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Bacopa monnieri on cognitive performance and sleep quality of patients with mild cognitive impairment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, 62 patients with mild cognitive impairment were categorized into two groups of control and intervention. The intervention group received one pill of 160 mg Bacopa monnieri extract in 2 months, and the control group received a pill containing starch powder. The cognitive impairment and sleep quality was assessed using a questionnaire containing demographic information, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index in three time-points of before the study, one months after the intervention and 2 months after the intervention (the end of study). RESULTS: The results showed no statistically significant difference between two groups in all three time-points in overall cognitive performance score and its 6 parameters (P > 0.05). While in the field of attention at the end of the first month (P = 0.033) and the end of the second month (P = 0.004), it was significant difference between the study groups. Also, in the field of verbal fluency at the end of the second month, this difference was significant (P = 0.003). The cognitive performance overall score showed no significant difference between two groups in first (P = 0.939) and second time-points (P = 0.661), although it was significant at third time-point (P = 0.029). There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in all time-points for sleep quality overall score (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The results showed that Bacopa monnieri can improve the cognitive performance overall score and some of its parameters, but it had no effect on sleep quality.

Spirulina Supplementation with High-Intensity Interval Training Decreases Adipokines Levels and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Men with Obesity.

Adiposity, a state characterized by excessive accumulation of body fat, is closely linked to metabolic complications and the secretion of specific adipokines. This study explores the potential of exercise and Spirulina supplementation to mitigate these complications and modulate adipokine release associated with obesity. The primary objective of this investigation was to examine the impact of a 12-week regimen of high-intensity training combined with Spirulina supplementation on adipokine concentrations and lipid profiles in male individuals with obesity (N = 44). The participants were randomly distributed into four groups, each consisting of 11 participants: a control group (CG), a supplement group (SG), a training group (TG), and a training plus supplement group (TSG). The intervention comprised a 12-week treatment involving Spirulina supplementation (6 g capsule daily), a 12-week high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol with three sessions per week, or a combined approach. Following the interventions, metabolic parameters, anthropometric measurements, cardiorespiratory indices, and circulating adipokines [CRP, Sema3C, TNF-α, IL-6, MCP1, IL-8] were assessed within 48 h of the before and final training session. Statistical analyses revealed significant differences across all measures among the groups (p < 0.05). Notably, post hoc analyses indicated substantial disparities between the CG and the three interventional groups regarding body weight (p < 0.05). The combined training and supplementation approach led to noteworthy reductions in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TGL) levels (all p < 0.0001), coupled with an elevation in high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels (p = 0.0001). Furthermore, adipokine levels significantly declined in the three intervention groups relative to the CG (p < 0.05). The findings from this 12-week study demonstrate that Spirulina supplementation in conjunction with high-intensity interval training reduced adipokine levels, improved body weight and BMI, and enhanced lipid profiles. This investigation underscores the potential of Spirulina supplementation and high-intensity interval training as a synergistic strategy to ameliorate obesity-related complications and enhance overall cardiometabolic well-being in obese males.

The immunomodulatory effects of fish-oil supplementation in elite paddlers: A pilot randomized double blind placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Physical exercise can induce imbalance of different cytokines by leading them towards an inflammatory and immunosuppressive milieu. Fish-oil (FO) supplementation may modulate the mentioned skewed balance following intense exercise. Therefore, we decided to investigate the effect of intense physical exercise and FO supplementation on cytokine production and helper T (Th) cell phenotype in male elite paddlers. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Male elite paddlers consumed 6 g/day of either FO capsules (n=11) containing 3.6 g long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (1.2 g docosahexaenoic acid and 2.4 g eicosapentaenoic acid) or placebo capsules (n=11) for 4 weeks. The paddlers simultaneously undertook a program of increasing exercise. Blood samples were taken from all the subjects 48 h before and after the 4 weeks of supplementation. RESULTS: Our results show that while FO supplementation decreases the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1ß in the elite paddlers, it increases the production of IL-6. On the other hand, while there was no change in IL-4 secretion, the production of interferon (IFN)-γ was significantly decreased after 4 weeks FO consumption. We also showed that the production of IL-10 was significantly higher in the FO group compared to the placebo. Finally, we found that fish-oil consumption shifts the balance between Th cells towards Th2 phenotype during intensive exercise. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids during intense exercise can induce the anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive cytokine networks that are associated with a reduced Th1/Th2 ratio in elite paddlers.