
Nitrate and Brain Insulin-Sensitivity
NitrateBrain Insulin-sensitivity1 moreDisturbances in brain insulin-sensitivity are not only observed in abdominal obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), but also during brain aging and in dementia. Inorganic nitrate may improve brain insulin-sensitivity, which can be quantified by measuring the gray-matter cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to intranasally administered insulin, through beneficial effects on brain vascular function. Therefore, we now hypothesize that inorganic nitrate, which can be found in several vegetables such as beetroot, improves brain insulin-sensitivity, as assessed by the gray-matter CBF response to intranasally administered insulin, in abdominally obese men.

To Compare the Effects of Non-nutritive Sweeteners Intake in Woman With Insulin Resistance
Insulin ResistanceHyperinsulinismABSTRACT Introduction: There is no current data about the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) about important factors, such as the energy intake, appetite and its relationship in people with insulin resistance when tasting sweet. It is highly relevant to compare the effects of NNS intake, such as, stevia (steviol glycosides) and D-tagatose, previous to a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) on glycaemic and C-peptide responses in women with insulin resistance. Objective: To compare the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners intake: stevia (steviol glyco-sides) and sucralose previous to OGTT on appetite, glycemia and C-peptide plasmatic concentrations in women with insulin resistance. Methods: Thirty-three women with T2DM were studied in 3 different moments and they received 3 treatments: pre-load of water or D-tagatose or stevia and then offered to consume a 75-gram oral glucose tolerance test. Blood samples were obtained to measure the dependent variables, glycemic at times -10, 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 180 minutes and C-peptide at times -10, 30, 90, 120 and 180 minutes. The analogue visual scale questionnaires (VAS) was conducted every 30 minutes in order to obtain the results of the depend variables: appetite and wish of specific type of food in a subjective way; appetite, satiety, relax, wish to eat any food, craving for something sweet, craving for something salty, something tasty, something fatty. Through food provided ad libi-tum (objective appetite), were obtained the results of: energy, carbohydrates, proteins and lipid intakes. The statistical analysis applied included the Shapiro-Wilk's Normality test, repeated measures ANOVA to assess differences among treatments, Friedman's test followed by Wilcoxon test corrected by Bonferroni as needed. The degree of association between variables was conducted using the Pearson's or Spearman's correlation coefficient tests, as requested. A probability value p <0.05 was considered significant.

Molecular Mechanisms of Raspberries Effect on Insulin Resistance and Inflammation
InflammationInsulin ResistanceRed raspberries (Rubus idaeus) are a good source of health enhancing hydrolyzable and condensed tannins, flavonoids, anthocyanins, phenolic acids, rheosmin, potassium, carotenoids, vitamin C, and vitamin K1. Compared to other berries commonly consumed in the US, the health benefits of red raspberries to improve pre-diabetes mellitus (PDM) and type 2 diabetes have never been explored. The clinical study proposed in this project seeks to investigate the protective effect of whole red raspberries against insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and inflammation in PDM and type 2 diabetic patients. The in vitro study proposed in the project will assist in identifying the molecular mechanisms by which whole red raspberry protect islet cells against oxidative stress, insulin resistance and loss of cell function.

Investigating the Effects of Beta-Hydroxy-Beta-Methylbutyrate on Glucose Handling in Older and Younger...
Insulin ResistanceAge ProblemsThis study intends to examine the effect of a commercially available nutritional supplement, Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate(HMB) on whole-body responses to a sugar load.

Thyroid in Bariatric Surgery
ThyroidObesity2 moreThis study is expected to provide novel data regarding potential structural and functional changes of the thyroid gland in morbidly obese adults following significant weight loss through bariatric surgery. These data will complement evidence from epidemiological studies regarding the association of obesity and alterations in thyroid function. Potentially this study may justify further longer-term studies regarding the effects of weight gain and/or weight loss on the morphology of the thyroid gland and could help to form recommendations regarding follow-up investigations for the thyroid in morbidly obese patients.

The Effect of Nordic Recommended Diet on the Features of Metabolic Syndrome - Multicentre Study...
Abdominal ObesityInsulin Resistance3 moreSYSDIET (Systems biology in controlled dietary interventions and cohort studies) is one of the three centres in the NCoE Food, Nutrition and Health, 2007-2011. It consists of 12 partners from five Nordic countries working on multidisciplinary fields of science related to nutritional biology. The main objective of SYSDIET is to reveal mechanisms by which Nordic foods and diets could be modified to promote health and prevent insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, all of which being connected to metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, the aim is to build up a Nordic platform for cohort studies and carefully conducted multi-centre dietary intervention studies, where novel nutritional systems biology tools can be applied besides human studies also in animal and cell culture studies. In order to achieve the main objective a Nordic multi-centre randomized controlled human intervention study is being conducted in 2009-2010 in 6-8 centres of SYSDIET consortium. Health of the Nordic populations has substantially improved during the last 30 years. This is due e.g. to marked decline in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, during the last 10-20 years increasing obesity and sedentary lifestyle have resulted in an increase of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. Having this background, the aim of the SYSDIET consortium is to carry out a controlled, randomized dietary intervention study in persons with features of metabolic syndrome to find out the effects of a healthy Nordic food on major abnormalities in metabolic syndrome. Altogether 167 persons aged 30 to 65 years were recruited from 6-8 centers (40-60 subjects/center) of the SYSDIET cohort. The main inclusion criterion is BMI 27-38 kg/m2. The subjects should also have at least two other IDF criteria for metabolic syndrome. Recruited persons will start the study by following their conventional diet for one month as a run-in period. After that subjects will be randomly assigned into Experimental- or Control-diet-group for 6 months. Experimental diet is rich in whole grain products, berries, fruits, vegetables and fish, and its fat intake is modified according to current Nordic recommendations. Control diet is based on the current information of the mean dietary intake and food consumption. The diets will be realized according to eating habits in each Nordic country.

Effect of Vitamin D Supplementation on Muscle Mass and Function
ObesityInsulin Resistance1 moreThe study was designed to assess the effects of vitamin D supplementation during exercise training on body composition, muscle function, and glucose tolerance. The investigators hypothesis for these studies is that vitamin D supplementation enhances exercise-induced increases in strength and lean mass, potentially through enhancing insulin sensitivity and reducing inflammation.

Dietary Protein Sources and Atherogenic Dyslipidemia
Cardiovascular DiseaseDyslipidemia2 moreThere is growing epidemiological evidence that consumption of red meat is associated with greater incidence of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) than either white meat or non-meat foods. Research from our group has shown that a high saturated fat (SF) diet with a moderate red meat content selectively increases intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL) and larger low density lipoproteins (LDLs), which are more weakly associated with CVD risk than smaller LDLs. In contrast, the investigators have found that with a similar intake of SF, high beef consumption results in a preferential increase in small and medium LDL particles that are strongly related to CVD. To date, no studies have directly compared the lipoprotein effects of red meat with that of other food sources of protein in the context of both high and low saturated fat intake. The overall objective of this project is to test the hypothesis that the effects of SF on lipoprotein markers of CVD risk are influenced by sources of dietary protein. The investigators hypothesize that adverse effects of SF on plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol (C), apolipoprotein B (apo B), and atherogenic LDL particles are greater in a diet with a high content of red meat than in diets in which the major proteins are from white meat (poultry) or non-meat sources. The investigators propose a clinical trial in which 180 healthy men and women will be randomized to high SF or low SF diet groups, and within each group, consume diets with equivalent amounts of protein from red meat, white meat, and non-meat sources for 4 wks each in random order. Specifically, the investigators will test whether: (1) With high SF, the red meat diet, compared to the other protein sources, will result in higher levels of LDL-C, apoB, small and medium LDL, and total/high density lipoprotein (HDL)C; (2) With low SF, dietary protein source will not be related to any of these measurements; (3) With both the white meat and non-meat protein diets, increased LDL-C with high vs. low SF will be due primarily to increases in large LDL, whereas with red meat the additional increase in small and medium LDL will result in greater increases in plasma apoB and total LDL particle number. Aim 4 will test hypotheses that increases in small and medium LDL with high SF plus red meat are related to increased activity of hepatic lipase, a key determinant of small LDL production, and that increases in large LDL induced by high SF are related to suppression of LDL receptors. The investigators will also assess the effects of protein source and saturated fat content on markers of insulin resistance, inflammation and endothelial function.

Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Markers of Inflammation
ObesityHypertriglyceridemia2 moreThe major purpose of this study is to examine the effect of two sources of dietary omega-3 fatty acids, each given at two doses, on potential health benefits related to cardiovascular disease prevention. The two sources of dietary omega-3 fatty acids will be fish oil, and flaxseed oil.

Pioglitazone Therapy in Obese Children With Insulin Resistance: A Randomized, Controlled Pilot Study...
ObesityInsulin ResistanceThe primary objective of this study is to examine the effects of four months of pioglitazone vs. metformin treatment on HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, insulin resistance, endothelial function, arterial stiffness, adipokines, oxidative stress, and blood biomarkers of endothelial activation in obese insulin resistant children. 30 obese children with elevated fasting insulin levels will be randomly assigned to pioglitazone or metformin for 16 weeks. Change in clinical variables over the 16-week study period will be compared between groups.