Effects of Whey Protein Isolate on Body Composition, Muscle Mass, and Strength of Chronic Heart Failure Patients: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Heart failure (HF) is associated with a reduction of skeletal muscle mass. Whey protein isolate (WPI) has been beneficial in increasing muscle mass and strength, in addition to improving body composition. The goal of this research was to evaluate the effect of WPI on the body composition, muscle mass, and strength of chronic HF patients. For this purpose, twenty-five patients of both genders with predominantly NYHA I functional class and a median age of 65.5 (60.5-71.0) years were used to conduct a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial and received 30 g per day of WPI for 12 weeks. Anthropometric measurements, body composition analysis, and biochemical exams were performed at the beginning and end of the study. An increase in skeletal muscle mass was observed in the intervention group after 12 weeks. A reduction in waist circumference, body fat percentage, and an increase in skeletal muscle index was observed when compared to the placebo group. No significant effect on muscle strength was observed after 12 weeks of intervention. These data demonstrate that WPI consumption contributed to the increase of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and reduction of body fat in HF patients.

Modeling and gene knockdown to assess the contribution of nonsense-mediated decay, premature termination, and selenocysteine insertion to the selenoprotein hierarchy.

The expression of selenoproteins, a specific group of proteins that incorporates selenocysteine, is hierarchically regulated by the availability of Se, with some, but not all selenoprotein mRNA transcripts decreasing in abundance with decreasing Se. Selenocysteine insertion into the peptide chain occurs during translation following recoding of an internal UGA stop codon. There is increasing evidence that this UGA recoding competes with premature translation termination, which is followed by nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) of the transcript. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the susceptibility of different selenoprotein mRNAs to premature termination during translation and differential sensitivity of selenoprotein transcripts to NMD are major factors in the selenoprotein hierarchy. Selenoprotein transcript abundance was measured in Caco-2 cells using real-time PCR under different Se conditions and the data obtained fitted to mathematical models of selenoprotein translation. A calibrated model that included a combination of differential sensitivity of selenoprotein transcripts to NMD and different frequency of non-NMD related premature translation termination was able to fit all the measurements. The model predictions were tested using SiRNA to knock down expression of the crucial NMD factor UPF1 (up-frameshift protein 1) and selenoprotein mRNA expression. The calibrated model was able to predict the effect of UPF1 knockdown on gene expression for all tested selenoproteins, except SPS2 (selenophosphate synthetase), which itself is essential for selenoprotein synthesis. These results indicate an important role for NMD in the hierarchical regulation of selenoprotein mRNAs, with the exception of SPS2 whose expression is likely regulated by a different mechanism.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Brazil Nuts on Microvascular Endothelial Function in Hypertensive and Dyslipidemic Patients: A Randomized Crossover Placebo-Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with GBNs on microvascular endothelial function in hypertensive and dyslipidemic patients. METHODS: Ninety-one patients of both sexes aged 62.1 ± 9.3 years received 13 g/day of GBNs or a placebo for three months with a washout period of one month between treatments. Microvascular endothelial function was assessed using LSCI coupled with iontophoresis of ACh and PORH. We also used skin video capillaroscopy to measure capillary density and recruitment at rest and during PORH. Plasma concentrations of NOx were also measured as a marker of nitric oxide bioavailability. RESULTS: Supplementation with GBNs significantly increased the plasma levels of Se (p < 0.05) and NOx (p < 0.05). However, we did not observe any effects of GBN consumption on microvascular vasodilator responses to ACh or PORH (p > 0.05), and GBNs did not improve capillary density at baseline or recruitment during PORH (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with GBNs induced significant increases in the plasma Se concentration and systemic bioavailability of nitric oxide. Nevertheless, GBN supplementation did not lead to any improvement in systemic microvascular reactivity or density in patients with arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia who were undergoing multiple drug therapies.

Intake of partially defatted Brazil nut flour reduces serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic patients--a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Thyroid hormones can lower levels of atherogenic lipoproteins, and selenium is important in thyroid hormone homeostasis. We aimed to investigate the effects of a healthy diet associated with the Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) in dyslipidemic and hypertensive patients. METHODS: This study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Seventy-seven dyslipidemic and hypertensive patients already receiving lipid-lowering drugs received either a dietary treatment associated with partially defatted Brazil nut flour (13 g/day providing 227,5 µg of selenium/day),or with dyed cassava flour as a placebo. All patients received a personalized dietary guideline with nutritional recommendations for dyslipidemia and hypertension and were followed for 90 days. RESULTS: The Brazil nut group showed reductions in total cholesterol (-20.5 ± 61.2 mg/dL, P = 0.02), non HDL-cholesterol (-19.5 ± 61.2 mg/dL, P = 0.02) and Apo A-1 (-10.2 ± 26.7 mg/dL, P = 0.03) without significant alterations in the Apo B/Apo A-1 ratio. The placebo group showed a reduction in FT3 levels (-0.1 ± 0.4, P = 0.03) and increased Lp(a) levels (5.9 ± 18.0 mg/dL, P = 0.02). There were no statistical differences in blood pressure and serum lipids between Brazil nut and placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with Brazil nuts seems to favor the maintenance of FT3 levels and contributes to lipemia reduction in hypercholesterolemic and euthyroid patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01990391.

Improvement of antioxidant status after Brazil nut intake in hypertensive and dyslipidemic subjects.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of partially defatted Granulated Brazil nut (GBN) on biomarkers of oxidative stress and antioxidant status of hypertensive and dyslipidemic patients on nutrition and drug approaches. METHODS: Ninety one hypertensive and dyslipidemic subjects of both genders (51.6 % men), mean age 62.1 ± 9.3 years, performed a randomized crossover trial, double-blind, placebo controlled. Subjects received a diet and partially defatted GBN 13 g per day (≈227.5 µg/day of selenium) or placebo for twelve weeks with four-week washout interval. Anthropometric, laboratory and clinic characteristics were investigated at baseline. Plasma selenium (Se), plasma glutathione peroxidase (GPx3) activity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), 8-epi PGF2α and oxidized LDL were evaluated at the beginning and in the end of each intervention. RESULTS: GBN intake significantly increased plasma Se from 87.0 ± 16.8 to 180.6 ± 67.1 µg/L, increased GPx3 activity in 24,8% (from 112.66 ± 40.09 to 128.32 ± 38.31 nmol/min/mL, p < 0,05), and reduced 3.25% of oxidized-LDL levels (from 66.31 ± 23.59 to 60.68 ± 20.88 U/L, p < 0.05). An inverse association between GPx3 and oxidized LDL levels was observed after supplementation with GBN by simple model (ß -0.232, p = 0.032) and after adjustment for gender, age, diabetes and BMI (ß -0.298, p = 0.008). There wasn't association between GPx3 and 8-epi PGF2α (ß -0.209, p = 0.052) by simple model. CONCLUSION: The partially defatted GBN intake has a potential benefit to increase plasma selenium, increase enzymatic antioxidant activity of GPx3 and to reduction oxidation in LDL in hypertensive and dyslipidemic patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01990391; November 20, 2013.

The association of selenium status with thyroid hormones and anthropometric values in dyslipidemic patients.

BACKGROUND: Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient that performs physiological functions in the metabolism of thyroid hormone and may have an association with anthropometric variables relevant to cardiovascular disease. AIM: To study the associations between Se status, thyroid hormones and anthropometric variables in dyslipidemic patients. METHODS: Eighty-three patients were assessed in a cross-sectional study. Blood samples were analyzed for Se and thyroid hormones. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and dietary Se intake was investigated. RESULTS: Mean plasma Se concentrations were low in the patients, at 88.7 ± 16.7 µg/L. Patients with plasma Se ≥ 95 µg/L were found to have a higher body mass index (BMI) (30.74 ± 4.31 vs 27.68 ± 5.63 kg/m2, P = 0.02) and waist-to-height ratio (0.65 ± 0.05 vs 0.59 ± 0.07, P = 0.003) when compared to those with concentrations between 80 and 94 µg/L. Se intake associated positively with T3L/T4L ratio (r = 0.273; P= 0.03), BMI (r= 0.257, P= 0.04) and WC (r= 0.299, P= 0.02). CONCLUSION: The patients with the highest normal plasma Se concentrations were found to have increases in the anthropometric variables we investigated. There is a need for further study in order to elucidate these findings. Furthermore, we found a positive association between Se intake and the most metabolically active form of the thyroid hormones.

Contexto: El selenio (Se) es un micronutriente esencial que realiza las funciones fisiológicas en el metabolismo de la hormona tiroidea y pueden tener una asociación con las variables antropométricas pertinentes a la enfermedad cardiovascular. Objetivo: Estudiar la asociación entre el estado de Se, hormonas tiroideas y las variables antropométricas en pacientes con dislipidemia. Métodos: Ochenta y tres pacientes fueron evaluados en un estudio transversal. Se analizaron muestras de sangre para Se y hormonas tiroideas. Las medidas antropométricas fueron tomadas, y la ingesta de la dieta Se fue investigado. Resultados: La media de las concentraciones de Se en plasma fueron bajas en los pacientes, a 88,7 ± 16,7 mg / l. Se encontró que los pacientes con niveles plasmáticos de Se ≥ 95 mg / L de tener un índice de masa corporal (IMC) (30.74 ± 4.31 vs 27.68 ± 5.63 kg / m 2, P = 0,02) y la relación cintura-estatura (0,65 ± 0,05 vs 0,59 ± 0,07, P = 0,003) en comparación con aquellos con concentraciones entre 80 y 94 g / l. Ingesta de Se asoció positivamente con relación T3L / T4L (r = 0,273, p = 0,03), índice de masa corporal (r = 0,257, P = 0,04) y WC (r = 0,299, P = 0,02). Conclusión: Se encontró que los pacientes con las más altas concentraciones de Se en plasma normal tener incrementos en las variables antropométricas que investigamos. Hay una necesidad de un mayor estudio para dilucidar estos hallazgos. Además, se encontró una asociación positiva entre el consumo de Se y la forma más metabólicamente activa de las hormonas tiroideas.