Whole blood and mononuclear cell glutathione response to dietary whey protein supplementation in sedentary and trained male human subjects

Sedentary male subjects (n=9) on a controlled diet were fed two doses (0.8 or 1.6 g/kg body mass) of a whey protein isolate (WPI), in addition to an isocaloric placebo; blood samples were drawn over a 4-h period and glutathione concentration determined. There was no effect of the supplementation at either level over the 4-h sampling period. The effects of a WPI supplemented diet on glutathione concentrations in whole blood as well as peripheral mononuclear cell populations were also investigated over a 6-week period in male subjects (n=18) involved in arduous aerobic training; blood was collected prior to and following a 40 km simulated cycling trial. The aerobic training period resulted in significantly lower glutathione concentrations in whole blood, an effect that was mitigated by WPI supplementation. A significant increase in mononuclear cell glutathione was also observed in subjects receiving the WPI supplement following the 40 km simulated cycling trial.     

Effect of modest vitamin E supplementation on blood glycated hemoglobin and triglyceride levels and red cell indices in type I diabetic patients.

The glycation of proteins and elevated triglyceride (TG) levels are two of the major risk factors in the development of complications of diabetes. Previous studies have found some beneficial effects of supplementation of pharmacological doses (900-2000 IU/day) of vitamin E in Type II diabetic patients. This study examined whether supplementation with a modest dose of vitamin E (100 IU/day) had any effect on blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin (GHb), TG or red cell counts in Type I diabetic patients.

35 diabetic patients were supplemented with either DL-alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) capsules (orally, 100 IU/day) or a placebo for 3 months in a double-blind clinical trial. Fasting blood was collected from each diabetic patient before and after vitamin E or placebo supplementation. Data were analyzed using paired “t” tests and the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test.

Levels of GHb (mean +/? SEM) were 11.5 +/? 0.4 and 12.8 +/? 0.9% (p < 0.05); glucose, 8.8 +/? 1.2 and 11.6 +/? 1.3 mM; and TG, 2.2 +/? 0.2 and 2.9 +/? 0.3 mM (p < 0.03) after vitamin E supplementation versus before supplementation. There were no differences in these parameters after supplementation with the placebo. There was no effect on blood RBC, hematocrit, and hemoglobin levels after supplementation of vitamin E or the placebo. There were no differences in ages and duration of diabetes between placebo and vitamin E-supplemented groups.

This study suggests that modest vitamin E supplementation (100 IU/day) can significantly lower blood GHb and TG levels and does not have any effect on red cell indices in Type I diabetic patients.     

Relating fatty acid composition in human fingertip blood to age,gender, nationality and n-3 supplementation in the Scandinavian population

This study investigated data obtained from whole blood fatty acid (FA) composition of 3476 Norwegian and Swedish individuals, which provided background information including age, gender, nationality and self-motivated n-3 supplement consumption. The aim of this paper was to statistically relate this background information on the subjects to their whole blood FA profile, focusing mainly on the n-3 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA). Results showed that age had significant effects on the content of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in blood lipids for the Norwegian individuals, while n-3 PUFA supplementation had a positive effect on EPA and DHA content in whole blood for the investigated population. Gender differences were also found for individual FA. A correlation also exists with previous studies on the FA profiling of blood lipids, further validating the test procedure.