Aldo Ferreira-Hermosillo

Antihyperlipemic and antihypertensive effects of Spirulina maxima in an open sample of mexican population: a preliminary report

BackgroundSpirulina maxima is a filamentous cyanobacterium used as food supplement because of its high nutrient contents. It has been experimentally proven, in vivo and in vitro that posses several pharmacological properties. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of Spirulina maxima orally supplied (4.5 g/day, for 6 weeks) to a sample of 36 subjects (16 men and 20 women, with ages between 18–65 years) on serum lipids, glucose, aminotransferases and on blood pressure. The volunteers did not modify their dietary habits or lifestyle during the whole experimental period. From each subject, a sample of blood was drawn in fasting state of 12 hours to determi the plasma concentrations of glucose, triacylglycerols (TAG), total cholesterol (TC), cholesterol associated to high density lipoprotein (HDL-C) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Anthropometric measurements including systolic (SYST-P) and diastolic (DIAST-P) blood pressure, height, weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were also recorded.ResultsComparing initial and final data, the results showed that there were no significant changes in the values of glucose and AST, but significant differences in TAG, TC, and HDL-C, were observed: TAG 233.7 ± 177.8 vs. 167.7 ± 100.7 mg/dL (p < 0.001), TC 181.7 ± 37.5 vs. 163.5 ± 34.4 mg/dL (p < 0.001), C-HDL 43.5 ± 14.4 vs. 50 ± 18.8 mg/dL (p < 0.01). The univariated analysis showed that the changes in the HDL-C and TC concentrations were dependent on TAG concentration (p = 0.247 and p = 0.108, respectively); nevertheless the calculated values for cholesterol associated to low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) were significantly reduced by the Spirulina maxima treatment but independently of the TAG changes. In addition, significant differences were found comparing initial and final SYST-P and DIAST-P blood pressure in both male and female: SYST-P male 121 ± 9 vs. 111 ± 8 mm Hg (p < 0.01), DIAST-P male 85 ± 6.5 vs. 77 ± 9 mm Hg (p < 0.01); SYST-P female 120 ± 9.5 vs. 109 ± 11 mm Hg (p < 0.002), DIAST-P female 85 ± 11 vs. 79 ± 7.5 mm Hg (p < 0.03).ConclusionThe Spirulina maxima showed a hypolipemic effect, especially on the TAG and the LDL-C concentrations but indirectly on TC and HDL-C values. It also reduces systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Effects of whole body exposure to extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on serum and liver lipid levels, in the rat

BackgoundThe effects of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) on the blood serum and liver lipid concentrations of male Wistar rats were assessed.MethodsAnimals were exposed to a single stimulation (2 h) of ELF-EMF (60 Hz, 2.4 mT) or sham-stimulated and thereafter sacrificed at different times (24, 48 or 96 h after beginning the exposure).ResultsBlood lipids showed, at 48 h stimulated animals, a significant increase of cholesterol associated to high density lipoproteins (HDL-C) than those observed at any other studied time. Free fatty acid serum presented at 24 h significant increases in comparison with control group. The other serum lipids, triacylglycerols and total cholesterol did not show differences between groups, at any time evaluated. No statistical differences were shown on total lipids of the liver but total cholesterol was elevated at 24 h with a significant decrease at 96 h (p = 0.026). The ELF-EMF stimulation increased the liver content of lipoperoxides at 24 h.ConclusionSingle exposures to ELF-EMF increases the serum values of HDL-C, the liver content of lipoperoxides and decreases total cholesterol of the liver. The mechanisms for the effects of ELF-EMF on lipid metabolism are not well understand yet, but could be associated to the nitric oxide synthase EMF-stimulation.

Effect of Spirulina maxima on Postprandial Lipemia in Young Runners: A Preliminary Report

Trained people exhibit low plasma concentrations of triacylglcyerols in both fasting and postprandial states. Exercise practice is commonly believed to improve postprandial lipemia. In addition, elevated postprandial lipemia is an indicator of poor lipid clearance, and it has been associated with atherosclerosis, insulin resistance, and obesity. Spirulina maxima is an edible microorganism with a high nutritional value. When it is consumed, beneficial properties to health have been demonstrated, such as hypolipemic and antihypertensive properties in human beings. This work evaluates the effects of orally administrated S. maxima on postprandial lipemia in a young Mexican sporting population after 15 days of consumption, as a possible alternative treatment to improve their lipid clearance. Forty-one runners (10-26 years old; 21 men and 20 women) volunteered to participate in the study. All of them were physically active for at least 1 year before the study and were not undergoing training during the study. The subjects consumed 5 g of Spirulina during 15 days. Before and after the treatment with Spirulina, they consumed (12 h fasting) a standardized meal with high fat content (53.2% total calories). Postprandial lipemia was measured at 1.5, 3, and 4.5 h after the fatty meal. Fasting plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) concentrations were lower after Spirulina treatment than before treatment. In addition, the postprandial area under the curve of TAG concentrations was lower after the treatment with Spirulina. Sixty-two percent of the youngest runners (10-16 years) studied exhibited the best response to the treatment. Orally administered S. maxima decreased postprandial lipemia in sporting teenagers. The youngest people were the most responsive to the beneficial effects of Spirulina on postprandial lipemia.

Letter to the EditorResponse: High Thyroid-stimulating Hormone Levels Increase Proinflammatory and Cardiovascular Markers in Patients with Extreme Obesity

We agree that it is not possible to assume an association between TSH levels and inflammatory and cardiovascular markers in serum only by performing a correlation test. We did not infer that association in our paper (1), further studies are necessary to probe it. We suggest a contribution of TSH levels on the inflammatory and cardiovascular markers: IL-6, leptin, ICAM-1 and Eselectin using a correlation test, as was previously published by some other authors (2,3). However, we did not evaluate how much serum levels of inflammatory and cardiovascular markers are likely to change for a unit of TSH. To accomplish that, we have performed a linear regression analysis as you suggested. TSH levels showed a statistical significant correlation with inflammatory and cardiovascular markers (IL-6, leptin, ICAM-1 and E-selectin) in our study (1). The results obtained showed that TSH correlate with increasing levels of IL-6 (B 1.06; 95% CI: 2.11 to 4.22; p 5 0.507), Leptin (B 4.22; 95% CI: 0.027e7.872; p ! 0.05), ICAM-1 (B 3.71, 95% CI: 2.48e4.94; p !0.001) and E-selectin (B 0.93; 95% CI: 0.52e1.37; p !0.001). These values were maintained without changes after adjusting by age, gender or BMI. Except for leptin, which decrease the regression coefficient and lost its statistical significance when adjusted by BMI (B 2.96; 95% CI: 8.74 to 6.793; p 5 0.13). This relationship between BMI and leptin has been wide reported in the literature, suggesting that the increase of leptin in extreme obese patients are mainly related to BMI; probably, TSH could act directly on adipocytes regulating leptin secretion (4), because TSH levels in hypothyroid patients with normal weight have been related to high leptin values (2). Is important to note that in all statistical models used for linear regression analysis, ICAM-1 and E-Selectin increase significantly their serum levels by unit of TSH. This results are in agreement with previously published data, where patients with subclinical hypothyroidism had high levels of ICAM-1 in comparison with control subjects (5). Both ICAM-1 and E-selectin are adhesion molecules augmented in the inflammatory process, endothelial dysfunction and