A Ri Byun

Effects of a Dietary Supplement with Barley Sprout Extract on Blood Cholesterol Metabolism

Objective. Barley sprout (Hordeum vulgare L.) contains 4.97% fat, 52.6% polysaccharide, and 34.1% protein along with a variety of vitamins, minerals, and polyphenolic compounds. Hexacosanol is one such compound from the barley leaf that might improve cholesterol metabolism by decreasing cholesterol synthesis. Method. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of barley sprout extract on serum lipid metabolism in healthy volunteers (n = 51). Subjects were randomly divided into two groups: one group consumed a single capsule of barley leaf extract daily (n = 25, 42.48 ± 13.58 years) and the other consumed placebo capsules (n = 26, 40.54 ± 11.1 years) for 12 weeks. Results. After 12 weeks, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein- (LDL-) cholesterol were not lower in the barley sprout extract group compared to the placebo group (p = 0.415 and p = 0.351, resp.) and no differences in clinical or laboratory findings were observed between both groups. Conclusion. Our study failed to show significant lipid-lowering effects of barley sprout extract, possibly due to dosage, duration of therapy, and small sample size. Despite our nonsignificant findings, barley sprout has a possibility as a functional health food; therefore future research is needed.

The Association between Urinary Sodium Excretion and Metabolic Syndrome in Korean Adults from the 2010–2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Background The sodium intake of Koreans was higher than that recommended by the World Health Organization. Urinary sodium, which is correlated with sodium intake, can be easily calculated by the Tanakas equation. This study aimed to evaluate the association between urinary sodium and metabolic syndrome in Korean adults using the 2010–2011 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). Methods A total of 5,870 participants from the 2010–2011 KNHANES were included in this study. Twenty-four hour urinary sodium was calculated by the Tanakas equation using spot urine. Participants were divided into tertiles based on urinary sodium levels. The association between urinary sodium and metabolic syndrome was analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of metabolic syndrome for the 2nd and 3rd tertile of urinary sodium levels was 1.51 (1.16–1.97) and 1.56 (1.23–1.97) compared to the lowest tertile of urinary sodium in men. The ORs and 95% CIs of metabolic syndrome in women were 1.20 (0.95–1.51) for the 2nd tertile and 2.16 (1.68–2.78) for the 3rd tertile. These associations remained statistically significant, even after adjusting for multiple covariates such as age, education, regular exercise, smoking, and alcohol consumption. Conclusion These findings indicate that urinary sodium is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome in Korean adults.

Ascending aortic diameter is associated with hypertension in Korean men

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between ascending aortic diameter (AAD) as measured with low-dose chest computed tomography (LDCT) and hypertension in Korean men. METHODS Korean men (n=1,050) who were screened for lung cancer using LDCT imaging at a health promotion center in Seoul, Korea between January 1 and December 31were recruited for the study. AAD is the longest length of ascending aorta measured from approximately 15 mm above left main coronary ostium to the mid-slice level of the right pulmonary artery. RESULTS AAD were divided into quartiles, and the degree of hypertension was determined based on the quartiles of the AAD using logistic regression. Odds ratios (OR) for the proportion of hypertension in Q2 (1.70, 95% CI: 1.11-2.59), Q3 (2.72, 95% CI: 1.81-4.09) and Q4 (3.94, 95% CI: 2.63-5.89) were significantly greater than that of Q1 (P for trend < 0.001). Even after controlling for confounding covariates of age, BMI, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, fasting glucose, GGT, ALT, eGFR, smoking status and alcohol intake, there was significant correlation. CONCLUSION AAD was significantly associated with the degree of hypertension.