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Overweight and obesity adversely affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL) through day-to-day impairments of both mental and physical functioning. It is assumed that polyphenols within the Mediterranean diet may contribute to improving HRQOL. This investigation aimed at studying the effects of a polyphenol-rich ingredient on HRQOL in overweight and obese but otherwise healthy individuals. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study including 72 volunteers was conducted. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive for a 16-week period either 900 mg/day of the supplement or a placebo. Dietary recommendations were individually determined and intakes were recorded. Daily physical mobility was also monitored. Improvement of HRQOL was set as the primary outcome and assessed at baseline and at the end of the investigation using the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) health survey. Body composition was analyzed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Physical activity was calculated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). After 16 weeks, despite there being no adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS), supplemented individuals experienced significant HRQOL improvement (+5.3%, p = 0.001), including enhanced perceived physical (+11.2%, p = 0.002) and mental health (+4.1%, p = 0.021) components, with bodily pain, vitality, and general health being the greatest contributors. Body fat mass significantly decreased (−1.2 kg, p = 0.033), mainly within the trunk area (−1.0 kg, p = 0.002). Engagement in physical activity significantly increased (+1308 Met-min (Metabolic Equivalent Task minutes)/week, p = 0.050). Hence, chronic supplementation with nutritional diversity and dosing of a Mediterranean diet-inspired, polyphenol-rich ingredient resulted in significant amelioration in both perceived physical and mental health, concomitant with the improvement of body composition, in healthy subjects with excessive adiposity.

Overweight and obesity adversely affect health-related quality of life (HRQOL) through day-to-day impairments of both mental and physical functioning. It is assumed that polyphenols within the Mediterranean diet may contribute to improve HRQOL. This investigation aimed at studying the effects of a polyphenol-rich ingredient on HRQOL in overweight and obese but otherwise healthy individuals. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study including 72 volunteers was conducted. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive for a 16-week period either 900 mg/day of the supplement or a placebo. Dietary recommendations were individually determined, and intakes were recorded; daily physical mobility was monitored. Improvement of HRQOL was set as the primary outcome and assessed at baseline and at the end of the investigation, using the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) Health survey. Body composition was analyzed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Physical activity level was calculated using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). After 16 weeks, despite there was no adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Serving Score (MDSS), supplemented individuals experienced significant HRQOL improvement (+5.3%; P=0.001), including enhanced perceived physical (+11.2%; P=0.002) and mental health (+4.1%; P=0.021) components; bodily pain, vitality, and general health, being the greatest contributors. Besides, body fat mass significantly decreased (-1.2 kg; P=0.033), mainly within trunk area (-1.0 kg; P=0.002). Engagement in physical activity significantly increased (+1308 Met-min/week; P=0.050). Hence, chronic supplementation with a nutritional diversity and dose of a Mediterranean diet-inspired polyphenol-rich ingredient resulted in a significant amelioration in both perceived physical and mental health, concomitant with the improvement of body composition, in healthy subjects with excessive adiposity.

High-intensity exercises are known to provoke delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Delayed onset muscle soreness typically occurs within the first 24 h, peaks between 24 and 72 h, and can last as long as 5-7 days post-exercise. Delayed onset muscle soreness is a multifactorial process involving both mechanical and biochemical components, associated with clinical features that may limit range of motion, and athletes seek for effective recovery strategies to optimize future training sessions. TensLess® is a food supplement developed to help manage post-exercise recovery. The supplement has been investigated on 13 recreationally active athletes of both sex, during a randomized, double-blind, and crossover clinical investigation, including a 3-week washout period. The clinical investigation was based on the study of TensLess® effects for DOMS management and on the reduction of associated muscle damages following an eccentric exercise protocol. Supplementation with TensLess® induced significant decrease in DOMS perception (-33%; p = 0.008) as of the first 24 h; this was significantly correlated with a lowered release of muscle damage-associated biomarkers, namely myoglobin, creatinine, and creatine kinase, for the whole length of the recovery period. Taken together, these positive results clearly indicate that post-exercise supplementation with TensLess® may preserve myocytes and reduce soreness following eccentric exercise-induced damages, and, accordingly, significantly shorten muscle recovery. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The development of nutraceutical ingredients has risen as a nutritional solution for health prevention. This study evaluated the effects of Oleactiv&reg, an ingredient developed for the prevention of atherogenesis, in hypercholesterolemic hamsters. Oleactiv&reg, is a polyphenol-rich ingredient obtained from artichoke, olive and grape extracts as part of fruit and vegetables commonly consumed within the Mediterranean diet. A total of 21 Golden Syrian hamsters were divided into three groups. The standard group (STD) was fed a normolipidemic diet for 12 weeks, while the control group (CTRL) and Oleactiv&reg, goup (OLE) were fed a high-fat diet. After sacrifice, the aortic fatty streak area (AFSA), plasmatic total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoproteins (HDL-C), non-HDL-C and triglycerides (TG), were assessed. The cholesterol efflux capacity (CEC) of hamster plasma was quantified using a radiolabeled technique in murine macrophages J774. OLE administration induced a significant reduction of AFSA (&minus, 69%, p &lt, 0.0001). Hamsters of the OLE group showed a significant decrease of both non-HDL-C (&minus, 173 mmol/L, p &lt, 0.05) and TG (&minus, 154 mmol/L, p &lt, 0.05). Interestingly, OLE induced a significant increase of total CEC (+17,33%, p &lt, 0,05). Oleactiv&reg, supplementation prevented atheroma development and had positive effects on the lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic hamsters. The increased CEC underlines the anti-atherosclerotic mechanism at the root of the atheroma reduction observed.

Workout capacity is energy-production driven. To produce peak metabolic power outputs, the organism predominantly relies more on anaerobic metabolism, but this undoubtedly has a negative and limiting impact on muscle function and performance. The aim of the study was to evaluate if an innovative polyphenol-based food supplement, PerfLoad®, was able to improve metabolic homeostasis and physical performance during high-intensity exercises under anaerobic conditions. The effect of a supplementation has been investigated on fifteen recreationally-active male athletes during a randomized, double-blind and crossover clinical investigation. The Wingate test, an inducer of an unbalanced metabolism associated to oxidative stress, was used to assess maximum anaerobic power during a high-intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer. Supplementation with PerfLoad® correlated with a significant increase in total power output (5%), maximal peak power output (3.7%), and average power developed (5%), without inducing more fatigue or greater heart rate. Instead, oxidative homeostasis was stabilized in supplemented subjects. Such results demonstrated that PerfLoad® is a natural and efficient solution capable of, similarly to training benefits, helping athletes to improve their physical performance, while balancing their metabolism and reducing exercise-induced oxidative stress. Actividad Física y Deporte

High-intensity exercises are known to provoke delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Delayed onset muscle soreness typically occurs within the first 24 h, peaks between 24 and 72 h, and can last as long as 5-7 days post-exercise. Delayed onset muscle soreness is a multifactorial process involving both mechanical and biochemical components, associated with clinical features that may limit range of motion, and athletes seek for effective recovery strategies to optimize future training sessions. TensLess

Modern lifestyles face growing demands for natural solutions to help improve general well-being. Accordingly, mind-body activities such as yoga have considerably grown. However, beneficial effects require regular workout. Besides, literature suggests that polyphenols may demonstrate positive effects on both mental and physical health. Overweight and obese volunteers, for which well-being might be perceived degraded, were included in a 16-week double-blind, randomized and parallel trial with a daily supplementation of HolisFiit®, a polyphenol-rich food supplement. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technology; well-being was evaluated with both, Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) and components from Short Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). Body composition significantly rebalanced by 7.7% (p = .019) of the lean-to-fat mass ratio. Also, sleep quality significantly improved by 43% (p = .00015) as well as both physical and mental components from SF-36, respectively by 10% (p = .004) and 7% (p = .021). These data altogether, suggest that regular consumption of HolisFiit®, might significantly improve mind and body well-being. Actividad Física y Deporte

Epidemiological studies suggest that metabolic ageing process of overweight and obese populations is associated with an increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Inflammation, hyper-glycaemia, dyslipidemia and oxidative stress have been associated with early stages of NCDs development whereas cohort surveys have demonstrated health benefits of dietary polyphenols from various dietary sources to reverse such progress. Obese volunteers were included in a double-blind, randomized, parallel pilot trial where they received daily for a 12-week period 900 mg of a polyphenol-rich treatment extracted from fruit and vegetables frequently consumed within the Mediterranean diet. Anthropometric and blood parameters were assessed before and at the end of the intervention period. After 12 weeks, while the silhouette slimmed down, metabolic parameters were significantly improved and general satisfaction considerably ameliorated. These data suggest that over a 12-week period, the synergistic action of bioactives within the treatment improves metabolic ageing process and quality of life in obese volunteers.

Workout capacity is energy-production driven. To produce peak metabolic power outputs, the organism predominantly relies more on anaerobic metabolism, but this undoubtedly has a negative and limiting impact on muscle function and performance. The aim of the study was to evaluate if an innovative polyphenol-based food supplement, PerfLoad®, was able to improve metabolic homeostasis and physical performance during high-intensity exercises under anaerobic conditions. The effect of a supplementation has been investigated on fifteen recreationally-active male athletes during a randomized, double-blind and crossover clinical investigation. The Wingate test, an inducer of an unbalanced metabolism associated to oxidative stress, was used to assess maximum anaerobic power during a high-intensity exercise on a cycle ergometer. Supplementation with PerfLoad® correlated with a significant increase in total power output (5%), maximal peak power output (3.7%), and average power developed (5%), without inducing more fatigue or greater heart rate. Instead, oxidative homeostasis was stabilized in supplemented subjects. Such results demonstrated that PerfLoad® is a natural and efficient solution capable of, similarly to training benefits, helping athletes to improve their physical performance, while balancing their metabolism and reducing exercise-induced oxidative stress.

The aim of this study was to determine whether a Fraxinus excelsior L. seed extract, FraxiPure™ (0.5% in the diet), limits weight gain and hyperglycemia in mice. In a previous report, we identified several secoiridoids in FraxiPure™, some of which activated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) in vitro and inhibited the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cells. In a separate study, FraxiPure™ reduced glycemia in healthy volunteers, following an oral glucose tolerance test. These findings suggest that FraxiPure™ has antiobesity and antihyperglycemia effects.FraxiPure™ was tested in mice that were fed a high-fat diet over 16 weeks and compared with low-fat and high-fat diet controls. Weight gain, omental and retroperitoneal fat, fasting blood glucose, and fasting blood insulin were measured.FraxiPure™ reduced gains in body weight by 32.30% (p0.05), omental fat by 17.92%, and retroperitoneal fat by 17.78%. FraxiPure™ also lowered fasting blood glucose levels by 76.52% (p0.001) and plasma insulin levels by 53.43% (p0.05) after 16 weeks. Moreover, FraxiPure™ lowered liver weight gains by 63.62% (p0.05) and the incidence of fatty livers by 66.67%.Our novel results demonstrate the antiobesity effects of chronic administration of an F. excelsior seed extract and confirm its ability to regulate glycemia and insulinemia. In addition, this extract, which is rich in secoiridoid glucosides, protects against obesity-related liver steatosis.

The overproduction of free radicals and oxygen reactive species is suspected to be implicated in a wide range of metabolic reactions that can have pernicious consequences in the development of a variety of human diseases. Botanical extracts are sources of antioxidants that counteract both free radicals and oxygen reactive species. The processing conditions used in the botanical extraction may influence the antioxidant composition; therefore, different extracts from the same plant may have different antioxidant properties. To illustrate this fact, we conducted a study using three commercial rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) leaf extracts. The three extracts were standardized to contain, respectively, 20% carnosic acid, 40% ursolic acid, or 20% rosmarinic acid. They were evaluated for their total (hydrophilic + lipophilic) antioxidant effects on oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), their ferric reducing/antioxidant power (FRAP), and their capacity to inhibit Cu(2+)-induced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation ex vivo. The ursolic acid extract showed the lowest antioxidant capacity on all models. The rosmarinic acid extract had an antioxidant capacity 1.5 times higher on ORAC and four times higher on FRAP than the carnosic acid extract. However, the carnosic acid extract was better than the rosmarinic acid extract in inhibiting the oxidation of LDL ex vivo. These results encourage conducting further studies to evaluate the carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid extracts in vivo. Our study offers an example of the importance of the extraction procedures, on which depends the nature of the antioxidant composition, and highlights interest to proceed with in vitro/ex vivo assay selection for the evaluation of the antioxidant properties of botanical extracts.

Overweight and obesity are associated to increased risk of developing non-communicable diseases that might dramatically affect life expectancy according World Health Organization. Overweight, obesity, and decline in physical activity are correlated to a significant propensity to lose skeletal muscle mass as a result of prolonged inflammation and oxidative stress whereas cohort surveys and clinical investigations have demonstrated health benefits of Citrus-based polyphenols to reverse such regression. Overweight men were included in a double-blind, randomized, parallel pilot trial where they received daily for a 12-week period 900 mg of a Citrus-based polyphenol extract, Sinetrol® XPur. Body composition, anthropometric, and blood parameters were assessed before and at the end of the intervention period. After 12 weeks, while the silhouette slimmed down, metabolic parameters were significantly improved and skeletal muscle catabolism held back. These data suggest that over a 12-week period, the efficacy of the supplement improve both overweight process and correlated skeletal muscle mass metabolism.

Expression of antioxidant enzymes (AOE), an important mechanism in the protection against oxidative stress, could be modified by the redox status of the cells. The aim of this project was to evaluate the role of vitamin E deficiency in association with a high-cholesterol diet in the hepatic lipid peroxidation and the expression of AOE. Two groups of 6 male rats were fed with a high-cholesterol or a high-cholesterol vitamin E-deficient diet. All animals were sacrificed at 72 days of treatment. Liver lipid peroxidation index (Malondialdehyde; MDA) and hepatic AOE were evaluated. Total liver RNA was extracted, and the steady state messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of glutathion peroxydase, manganese superoxide dismutase, Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase and catalase were examined by northern blot. After 72 days on the diet, a significant increase in the lipid peroxidation index was observed in the vitamin E deficient group (MDA : 4.45 ± 0.29 nmol/mg protein versus 3.65 ± 0.1 nmol/mg protein in vitamin E normal group). Despite this oxidative stress, the activities and mRNA levels of liver AOE were not significantly different in the 2 groups. These preliminary results show that chronic vitamin E deficiency associated with high cholesterol diet is able to increase lipid peroxidation without modulation of AOE expression and activity in the liver. This suggests that beneficial effects of dietary vitamin E are due to a plasma antioxidant effect or a cell mediated action, rather than to a specific modulation of cellular enzymes.

Selenium deficiency was produced in rats fed a high cholesterol diet for 57 days (Group 1). It was characterized by an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) an end product of lipid peroxidation and by the dramatic collapse of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity (GSHPx) in plasma, erythrocytes and in homogenate supernatant fraction of liver, kidney and heart compared with rats fed a standard diet containing sodium selenite (Group 3). A compensatory rise in the activity of liver glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and also in glutathione reductase (GSSGR) activity was accompanied by an increase in NADPH-generating enzymes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. Adequate dietary selenium supplementation by Se-rich Spirulina corrected all the selenium deficiency effects (Group 2), then, GSHPx and NADPH-consuming enzymes activities were of the same magnitude as those exhibited by rats fed a standard diet containing adequate selenium in the form of sodium selenite. Based on this study, it is concluded that Se-enriched Spirulina behave as an excellent selenium carrier.

International audience; The bioavailabilty of selenium (Se) from selenium-rich Spirulina (SeSp) was assessed in Se-deficient rats by measuring tissue Se accumulation and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity. For 42 d, rats were subjected to dietary Se depletion by consumption of a Torula yeast (TY)-based diet with no Se; controls were fed the same diet supplemented with 75 ?g Se/kg diet as sodium selenite. Se-deficient rats were then repleted with Se (75 ?g/kg) by the addition of sodium selenite, selenomethionine (SeMet) or SeSp to the TY basal diet. Selenium speciation in SeSp emphasized the quasi-absence of selenite (2% of total Se); organic Se comprised SeMet (?18%), with the majority present in the form of two selenoproteins (20-30 kDa and 80 kDa). Gross absorption of Se from SeSp was significantly lower than from free SeMet and sodium selenite. SeMet was less effective than sodium selenite in restoring Se concentration in the liver but not in kidney. SeSp was always much less effective. Similarly, Se from SeSp was less effective than the other forms of Se in restoring GSH-Px activity, except in plasma and red blood cells where no differences were noted among the three sources. This was confirmed by measuring the bioavailability of Se by slope-ratio analysis using selenite as the reference form of Se. Although Se from SeSp did not replenish Se concentration and GSH-Px activity in most tissues to the same degree as the other forms of Se, we conclude that it is biologically useful and differently metabolized due to its chemical form.

Botanicals are an alternative option to prescription drugs for the alleviation of symptoms due to anxiety disorders and insomnia. Melissa officinalis L. has been shown as an anti-stress and anxiolytic agent. We previously reported moderate stress improvement in mice in which Cyracos(®), a standardized Melissa officinalis L. extract, was administrated. Cyracos(®) contains phytochemicals that inhibit gamma-aminobutyric acid catabolism. This was a prospective, open-label, 15-day study to evaluate the efficacy of Cyracos(®) on stressed volunteers, who have mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Using clinician rating criteria, primary outcomes showed improvement of symptoms. Cyracos(®) reduced anxiety manifestations by 18% (p 0.01), ameliorated anxiety-associated symptoms by 15% (p 0.01) and lowered insomnia by 42% (p 0.01). As much as 95% of subjects (19/20) responded to treatment, of which 70% (14/20) achieved full remission for anxiety, 85% (17/20) for insomnia, and 70% (14/20) for both. Our study demonstrates, for the first time that chronic administration of Melissa officinalis L. relieves stress-related effects. It is critical that further studies incorporate a placebo and investigate physiological stress markers.