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Aging results in loss of muscle mass and strength, which are linked to development of metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance, obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. A number of studies have now shown that these effects can be ameliorated by dietary supplementation with natural products such as vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein and by physical activities such as aerobic and resistance exercise. Here, we present a protocol for setting up a trial to test the effects of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and resistance exercise on various anthropometric and molecular measurements in middle-aged females., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing around the world, in association with the progressive elevation in overweight and obesity. The accumulation of lipids in NAFLD patients contributes to the development of insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in hepatocytes, and alteration of blood lipids and glycaemia. There are currently no effective pharmacological therapies for NAFLD, although lifestyle and dietary modifications targeting weight reduction are among the prevailing alternative approaches. For this reason, new approaches should be investigated. The natural polyphenol resveratrol represents a potential new treatment for management of NAFLD due to anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Although preclinical trials have demonstrated promising results of resveratrol against NALFD, the lack of conclusive results creates the need for more trials with larger numbers of patients, longer time courses, and standardized protocols., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We investigated the effects of cinnamon water extract supplementation on inflammation and oxidative stress induced by acrylamide in rats. This revealed acrylamide-intoxicated control group had significant higher levels of malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), leptin and alanine transaminase, and lower levels of total antioxidant capacity compared to the negative control group. In contrast, cinnamon extract administration remedied the levels of total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, TNF-α, hs-CRP, and leptin in the treatment groups. However, there was no significant effect on adiponectin or liver enzymes. This chapter presents a protocol involving production of the acrylamide-induced oxidative stress model, the aqueous extraction of cinnamon powder, and measurement of inflammatory and oxidative stress markers., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

This study examines the effects of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acid co-supplementation on inflammation and nutritional status in colorectal cancer patients. Patients were randomly assigned into four groups: (1) controls, receiving placebos; (2) omega-3 fatty acid arm, receiving two 330 mg omega-3 fatty acid capsules daily and placebo (for vitamin D 3 ) weekly; (3) vitamin D arm, receiving a 50,000 IU vitamin D 3 soft gel weekly and two placebos (for omega-3 fatty acids) daily; and (4) co-supplementation arm, receiving a 50,000 IU vitamin D 3 soft gel weekly and two 330 mg omega-3 fatty acids capsules daily for 8 weeks. As outcomes, we measure height; weight; fat-free mass (FFM); serum levels of 25(OH)D, TNF-α, and IL-6; C-CRP; and albumin, before and after the intervention. The presented results show that vitamin D 3 plus omega-3 fatty acid co-supplementation in colorectal cancer patients has beneficial impacts on inflammation and nutritional status.

Sarcopenia is defined as an age-related reduction in muscle mass and performance. Some of the most important risk factors include advanced age, malnutrition, and sedentary lifestyle. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of food intake and physical activity with body composition, muscle strength, and muscle function in a cross-sectional study of postmenopausal women. This analysis gave a positive association between physical activity and handgrip strength, calorie intake and muscle function, protein intake and fat-free mass percentage, and total fat intake and fat mass percentage. In addition, there were negative associations found between carbohydrate intake and muscle function, as well as total fat intake and fat-free mass percentage. This chapter presents a protocol for the study setup along with measurements of physical activity, handgrip strength, nutrient intake, and fat-free mass percentage.

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle strength and muscle mass with aging and is one of the major risk factors for metabolic diseases. Cross-sectional studies have shown that vitamin D is associated with sarcopenia in both men and women. We investigated the effect of vitamin D supplementation over 12 weeks on muscle strength, muscle function, and body composition in middle-aged women in randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial format. This revealed a significant difference in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels between the intervention and placebo groups. In addition, handgrip strength was improved, and the timed get up and go (TGUG) test and body fat content were decreased. This chapter presents a protocol for trial setup involving measurement of vitamin D levels, handgrip strength, the TGUT test, and body composition as readouts.

Sarcopenia, the age-dependent decline of muscle mass and performance, is a common condition among elderly population and is related to numerous adverse health outcomes. Due to the effect of sarcopenia on quality of life, disability, and mortality, a greater awareness is important in order to correctly recognize the condition both in community and geriatric settings. Research on sarcopenia prevention and treatment is growing quickly, but many questions are still unanswered. The core of the sarcopenia state includes quantitative and qualitative declines of skeletal muscle. These two aspects should therefore be considered when designing and examining preventive and therapeutic interventions. The role of vitamin D in skeletal muscle metabolism has been highlighted in recent years. The interest arises from the important findings of studies indicating multiple impacts of vitamin D on this tissue, which can be divided into genomic (direct impacts) and non-genomic impacts (indirect impacts). Another important dimension to be considered in the study of vitamin D and muscle fiber metabolism is associated with different expressions of the vitamin D receptor, which differs in muscle tissue, depending on age, gender, and pathology. Vitamin D inadequacy or deficiency is related to muscle fiber atrophy, elevated risk of chronic musculoskeletal pain, sarcopenia, and falls. This review describes the effect of vitamin D in skeletal muscle tissue function and metabolism and includes discussion of possible mechanisms in skeletal muscle.