BACKGROUND:Low-grade chronic inflammation in overweight subjects is thought to play an important role in disease development.

OBJECTIVE:It was hypothesized that specific dietary components are able to reduce low-grade inflammation as well as metabolic and oxidative stress.

DESIGN:Dietary products [resveratrol, green tea extract, alpha-tocopherol, vitamin C, n-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, and tomato extract] selected for their evidence-based antiinflammatory properties were combined and given as supplements to 36 healthy overweight men with mildly elevated plasma C-reactive protein concentrations in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study with treatment periods of 5 wk. Inflammatory and oxidative stress defense markers were quantified in plasma and urine. Furthermore, 120 plasma proteins, 274 plasma metabolites (lipids, free fatty acids, and polar compounds), and the transcriptomes of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and adipose tissue were quantified.

RESULTS:Plasma adiponectin concentrations increased by 7%, whereas C-reactive protein (principal inflammation marker) was unchanged. However, a multitude of subtle changes were detected by an integrated analysis of the "omics" data, which indicated modulated inflammation of adipose tissue, improved endothelial function, affected oxidative stress, and increased liver fatty acid oxidation.

CONCLUSION:An intervention with selected dietary products affected inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, and metabolism in humans, as shown by large-scale profiling of genes, proteins, and metabolites in plasma, urine, and adipose tissue. This trial was registered at clinical trials.gov as NCT00655798.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to quantify the effects on skin in post-menopausal women of a novel dietary supplement (Imedeen Prime Renewal) that contained soy extract, fish protein polysaccharides, extracts from white tea, grape seed and tomato, vitamins C and E as well as zinc and chamomile extract. DESIGN: The study was a 6-month double blind, placebo controlled, randomized study on healthy post-menopausal females. SETTING: The study was performed at a commercial Contract Research Organisation (TJ Stephens & Associates Inc., TX, USA). INTERVENTIONS: Two tablets of Imedeen Prime Renewal or placebo were given twice daily for 6 months. SUBJECTS: Thirty-eight (active group) and 42 (placebo group) subjects completed the study out of 100. RESULTS: Clinical grading showed that the active group had a significantly greater improvement (P < 0.05) compared to placebo for the face after 6 months treatment for: forehead, periocular and perioral wrinkles, mottled pigmentation, laxity, sagging, under eye dark circles and overall apperance; skin on the décolletage after 2, 3 and 6 months treatment and skin on the hand after 3 and 6 months treatment. Photo evaluation showed that the active group had a significantly greater improvement (P < 0.05) on the face after 3 and 6 months for several parameters. Ultrasound measurements showed that the active group had a significantly greater improvement (P < 0.0001) for density measurements after 6 months treatment. CONCLUSION: In summary, this novel dietary supplement, Imedeen Prime Renewal, provides improved condition, structure and firmness of the skin in post-menopausal women after 6 months.

Cultured skin equivalent (SE, Mimeskin) was generated by co-culturing skin fibroblasts and keratinocytes on a collagen-glycosaminoglycan-chitosan dermal substrate. In order to examine donor age effect, fibroblasts from 19- (young) or 49- (aged) year-old females were used. Culture medium was supplemented with nutrients complex containing soy extract, tomato extract, grape seed extract, white tea extract, sodium ascorbate, tocopherol acetate, zinc gluconate and BioMarine complex. Epidermal and dermal structure and composition were examined after 42 and 60 days of culture. In untreated samples, SE generated from young fibroblasts was superior to SE from aged fibroblasts in all characteristics. Those include number and regularity of keratinocyte layers, number of keratinocytes expressing proliferation marker Ki67, content of collagen type I, fibrillin-1, elastin, and SE lifespan. Effects of nutritional supplementation were observed in SE from both young and aged fibroblasts, however, those effects were more pronounced in SE from aged fibroblasts. In epidermis, the treatment increased number of keratinocyte layers and delayed epidermal senescence. The number of cells expressing Ki67 was nine folds higher than those of controls, and was similar to that of young cell SE. In dermis, the treatment increased mRNA synthesis of collagen I, fibrillin-1 and elastin. In conclusion, skin cell donor age had major important effect on formation of reconstructed SE. Imperfections in epidermal and dermal structure and composition as well as life span in SE from aged cells can be improved by supplementation with active nutrients.

BACKGROUND:DNA is constantly exposed to reactive oxygen species (ROS), spontaneously arising during the normal oxygen metabolism. ROS may result in temporary as well as permanent modifications in various cellular components such as lipids, proteins and DNA, which may have deleterious consequences. Demonstrating that a dietary supplementation of antioxidants can reduce oxidative DNA damage may provide evidence for the value of such supplementation in prevention of cancer and age related diseases.

FINDINGS:The present study was conducted to address whether tomato juice protects against ROS induced by extensive physical exercise in untrained individuals. As a marker of oxidative stress, serum levels of 8-oxodG were monitored using a modified ELISA. An intervention was performed involving 15 untrained healthy subjects who performed a 20 min physical exercise at 80% of maximum pulse using an ergometer bicycle. Blood samples were taken before and one hour after the exercise. The procedure was repeated after 5 weeks with a daily intake of 150 ml tomato juice and followed by a 5 weeks wash-out period and another 5 weeks with a daily intake of tomato juice. The results indicated that a daily intake of tomato juice, equal to 15 mg lycopene per day, for 5 weeks significantly reduced the serum levels of 8-oxodG after an extensive physical exercise.

CONCLUSION:These data strongly suggest that tomato juice has a potential antioxidant effect and may reduce the elevated level of ROS induced by oxidative stress.