Extensive studies in the University of Helsinki have shown that the increase in life span is mainly due to the ability of this new composition to lower serum cholesterol and lower blood pressure, and decrease obesity, which were all increased by the high-fat, high-salt diets without the enrichment. Improved function of blood vessels also appears to play a role. Human studies have already confirmed a part of the findings, and other data suggest that the effects of the new composition may be largely relevant also for man.
The food ingredient and food item composition, which comprises simultaneous enrichment with both plant sterols and the mineral nutrients calcium, potassium and magnesium, proved to produce a surprisingly wide range of health benefits. Therefore the composition was given the name "MultiBene", derived from the words "Multiple Benefits". In a commonly used animal model, which received the Western type diet, this combination produced effective lowering of elevated serum cholesterol and blood pressure, and decrease of obesity. Most remarkably, in the presence of the this composition in the food, which was high in saturated fat and salt, the life span of the animals was increased to more than 1.5-fold.
Clinical studies have confirmed the good cholesterol lowering effect of various foods with MultiBene enrichment. Moreover, they have confirmed that such food compositions are consistent with the current recommendations for blood pressure lowering and bone health improving foods. The capability of this combination to prevent or decrease obesity even in man is the object of studies in the future.
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What ™s more, the researchers found that a high-fat diet amplified the oscillation in blood sugar over a 24-hour period and that disabling the Clock gene markedly reduced this effect. Indeed, a mutated Clock gene protected mice from diabetes induced by a high fat diet, a model of type-2 diabetes in humans. How this works is as yet unclear, but the researchers think that the clock mediates the impact of a fatty diet. This suggests that altering when fat calories are eaten might be exploited to reduce the likelihood of inducing diabetes, says FitzGerald.
Poor dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle have been linked to diabetes, high blood fats, and high blood pressure, all characterized in an epidemic called metabolic syndrome, which is reaching alarming proportions in both developed and developing countries, says FitzGerald. This work adds to the understanding of physiological control of metabolism and therefore possibilities of working with the body ™s natural rhythms to fight disease.
Over time humans have moved from eating our fill at one sitting after the hunt to continuous availability of fast food. Nutritionists have long speculated that it might matter whether we nibble or gorge our calories, and that this makes a difference in how our bodies handle a high-fat diet. These results suggest that it may not just be what we eat, but also, to some extent, when we eat it, concludes FitzGerald.
This research was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and the American Heart Association. Co-authors on the paper are: Peter McNamara, Phenomix Corp., Calif.; Anne-Marie Curtis, Penn; Raymond C. Boston, Penn School of Veterinary Medicine; and Satchidananda Panda and John B. Hogenesch, The Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation, Calif.
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