The effects of dietary flaxseed supplementation on lipid metabolism in streptozotocin-induced diabetic hamsters.

UNLABELLED: Vascular complications, such as atherosclerosis, represent an important cause of morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary flaxseed supplementation, a rich source of lignans, a-linolenic acid and soluble fiber mucilage on serum and hepatic lipid concentrations in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in hamsters. METHODS: Twenty-four male Golden Syrian hamsters were used in this experiment; diabetes was induced in half of them by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (50 mg/kg body weight), and both diabetic and control groups were divided in 2 subgroups, one fed standard diet, and one fed standard diet supplemented with flaxseed (15%), for 20 weeks. Serum total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio and hepatic cholesterol and triglycerides were measured at the end of the experiment. RESULTS: Dietary flaxseed supplementation in diabetic hamsters was associated with significant reductions in serum TC (-24.9%), TC/HDL-C ratio (-60%) and increase in serum HDL-C (+91%) as compared to diabetic group without supplementation. There were no significant differences in serum TG levels between diabetes supplemented with flaxseed and diabetic groups. Also, flaxseed supplementation in diabetes induced significant reductions in hepatic cholesterol (-39.5%) and triglycerides levels (-28.8%). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that dietary flaxseed supplementation may reduce the incidence of diabetic macrovascular complications through improvement of lipid profile.

[Modulation of the platelet function by diet supplemented with flaxseed and vitamin E in diabetic hamsters]. / Modularea functiei plachetare prin suplimentare alimentara cu seminte de in si vitamina E la hamsterii diabetici.

The aim of our study was to assess the platelet aggregation and adhesiveness in diabetic and non-diabetic hamsters receiving or not a diet supplemented with flaxseed (rich in'alpha-linolenic acid) and vitamin E. Forty-eight 6-month old male Golden Syrian hamsters were distributed in either control (non-diabetic) and diabetic group (STZ, 50 mg/kg body weight, i.p.). The control and diabetic groups received one of the following diets 1. control diet (rich in linoleic acid) ; 2. diet supplemented with flaxseed (15% flaxseed); 3. diet supplemented with flaxseed and vitamin E (40 mg/kg body weight); 4. diet supplemented with flaxseed and vitamin E. We measured platelet aggregation and adhesiveness after 20 weeks from the beginning of the experiment. In diabetic hamsters, only the diet supplemented with both flaxseed and vitamin E resulted in significant reduction of platelet aggregation (5.5 +/- 5.2 mOD/min vs. 10.3 +/- 3.8 mOD/min) and adhesiveness (9.7 +/- 3.9% vs. 23.4 +/- 10.6%) as compared to diabetic animals fed with control diet. In non-diabetic animals, flaxseed rich diet alone was efficient in lowering platelet functions as compared to linoleic acid rich diet. Mixed diet containing flaxseed and vitamin E was more effective than flaxseed alone in modulating platelet functions in diabetic hamsters. These observations indicate that vitamin E exerts important effects on determinants of oxidation and platelet functions and potentiates the flaxseed effects in experimental diabetes.

Flaxseed supplementation in hyperlipidemic patients.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of daily consumption of dietary flaxseed (as a source of linolenic acid, LNA) on plasma lipid concentrations in mildly hyperlipidemic patients. METHODS: 40 hyperlipidemic patients with plasma total cholesterol greater than 240 mg/dL were distributed in 3 groups: 10 patients who received hypo-lipidic diet (diet group), 10 patients who received hypo-lipidic diet plus statins (diet+HL group), 20 patients who received hypo-lipidic diet plus 20 g ground flax-seeds/day (diet+flax group). Body mass index (BMI), serum total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio were measured at the beginning and after 60 days of treatment. RESULTS: Flaxseed supplementation was associated with significant reductions in TC (-17.2%), LDL-C (-3.9%), TG (-36.3%) and TC/HDL-C ratio (-33.5%). There were no significant differences in absolute change in BMI nor in percentage change in TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, TC/HDL-C ratio between flaxseed and statin groups. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary flaxseed significantly improves lipid profile in hyperlipidemic patients and may favorably modify cardiovascular risk factors.

Effect of dietary sorghum cultivars on the storage stability of broiler breast and thigh meat.

A total of 450 1-d-old male broiler chicks were fed a corn-soy-flax meal-based diet (control), two cultivars of sorghum--Ruby Red (low tannin content) and Valpo Red (high tannin content)--were used at 10% level. Birds were slaughtered at the end of 42-d feeding trial. Boneless, skinless breast and thigh muscles were separated and ground to make patties. Half of the breast and thigh meat patties were individually packaged in zipper bags, and 2-TBA-reactive substances (TBARS) and colors of the patties were determined after 0 and 7 d of storage at 4 C. The other half was cooked and vacuum-packaged. The vacuum-packaged patties were used to determine time-dependent volatile production and oxidative change during 12-h holding time before analyses. Thigh meat from broilers fed the Valpo Red cultivar produced lower TBARS than that from control at Day 0. The amounts of aldehydes and sulfur compounds of cooked breast meats were lower from chickens fed the Valpo Red cultivar than those fed the control or Ruby Red cultivar. Dietary Valpo Red cultivar improved the oxidative stability of breast meat 8 and 12 h after cooking. Dietary sorghum slightly improved the color a* stability of raw thigh meat patties. This result indicated that feeding sorghum to broilers could improve some measures of the storage stability of broiler meat, but sorghum with high tannin content was more effective than that with low tannin content.

Muscle fatty acid composition and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances of broilers fed different cultivars of sorghum.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the production parameters, muscle fatty acid composition, and lipid stability of birds fed four different cultivars of sorghum. Experiment 1 used ruby red and valpo red, and Experiment 2 used kinsman and mason cultivars of sorghum. The basal diet was a corn, soy, and flax meal, and sorghum cultivars were substituted at 10 or 5% in Experiments 1 and 2. No significant difference was observed for BW, feed consumption or feed efficiency (P > 0.05). The total lipids were reduced (P < 0.05) in the leg muscle of broilers fed the mason cultivar. The TBA-reactive substances (TBARS) were lower (P < 0.05) in the leg muscle of birds fed the mason cultivar when compared to kinsman or control diet. The content of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were higher (P < 0.05) in the breast and leg muscles of birds fed ruby red, kinsman, and mason cultivars of sorghum.

The effects of equal-energy portions of different breads on blood glucose levels, feelings of fullness and subsequent food intake.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared the effects of equal-energy portions of 7 different breads on feelings on fullness and subsequent ad libitum food intake. A satiety index score (SI) was calculated for each of the breads. DESIGN: Within-subject, repeated-measures design. SUBJECTS AND INTERVENTION: Ten healthy subjects participated in the study. Subjects fasted for > or =10 hours overnight and then reported to the research center the next morning, where they first completed baseline satiety ratings, gave a fasting blood sample, and then consumed a test bread. Additional finger prick blood samples and satiety ratings were collected at 15-minute intervals over 120 minutes, after which the subjects' ad libitum intake of food was recorded. A satiety index (SI) score was calculated for each test food by dividing the area under the 120-m satiety response curve (AUC) for the test bread by the satiety AUC for the reference bread (regular white bread) and multiplying by 100%. RESULTS: The mean SI scores for the breads ranged from 100% to 561%, with regular white bread having the lowest SI score. Mean SI scores were negatively correlated with energy intake at a test meal after 120 m (r=-0.88, P<.01, n=7) and total day energy intakes (r=-0.72, P<.05, n=7). The strongest predictor of the breads' SI scores was their portion size and thus energy density. The breads' glycemic responses were not significantly associated with fullness responses. APPLICATIONS: Ingredients and food processing methods are available for the production of palatable, high-satiety versions of processed foods, which may be useful for weight control diets. SI scores would be a useful addition to food labels to indicate which foods are less likely to be overeaten and could be used by dietitians to develop weight control plans to help reduce energy intakes without increased hunger.

Effects of nutritionally balanced and stabilized flaxmeal-based diets on Eimeria tenella infections in chickens.

Twenty Sex Sal cockerels were randomly assigned to each of eight groups; each of four nutritionally balanced diets were fed to two groups from 1 d through 4 wk of age. These diets contained 0, 2, 5, or 10% stabilized flaxseed meal that provided a calculated 0, 0.45, 1.11, or 2.22% n-3 fatty acids, primarily linolenic acid. At 3 wk of age, one group of chickens from each diet treatment was infected with Eimeria tenella and was housed in separate but similar conditions to uninfected control chickens. At 6 d postinfection, chickens were weighed, bled, killed, and scored for lesions. No level of dietary flaxmeal tested provided protection against weight gain depression, increased feed conversion ratios, or lesions. We concluded that these diets did not protect against E. tenella infection because levels of linolenic acid were not high enough, and the oxidative potentials were well suppressed by vitamin E and other stabilizers present.