Lisa M. Vislocky

Biomedical effects of grape products

Accumulating evidence suggests that consumption of grapes and grape products can positively influence risk factors associated with cardiovascular health, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and age-related cognitive decline. These effects are often attributed to the antioxidant activity and function of flavonoid compounds found in grapes as well as other actions such as increasing nitric oxide production. The well-established health effects of grapes on cardiovascular disease risk, mainly on endothelial function, LDL oxidation, progression of atherosclerosis, and reduction in oxidative stress, have been clearly identified. Emerging research has also demonstrated that grapes have beneficial effects on other chronic-degenerative diseases such as cancer, Alzheimers disease, age-related cognitive decline, and diabetes. Further beneficial effects of grapes on oral health, immune function, and antiviral activity have also been reported. This review examines the published evidence on the human health benefits associated with grapes and grape products, with animal and cell studies included for areas in which human research is either limited or unavailable.

Acute Energy Deprivation Affects Skeletal Muscle Protein Synthesis and Associated Intracellular Signaling Proteins in Physically Active Adults

To date, few studies have characterized the influence of energy deprivation on direct measures of skeletal muscle protein turnover. In this investigation, we characterized the effect of an acute, moderate energy deficit (10 d) on mixed muscle fractional synthetic rate (FSR) and associated intracellular signaling proteins in physically active adults. Eight men and 4 women participated in a 20-d, 2-phase diet intervention study: weight maintenance (WM) and energy deficient (ED; approximately 80% of estimated energy requirements). Dietary protein (1.5 g x kg(-1) x d(-1)) and fat (approximately 30% of total energy) were constant for WM and ED. FSR and intracellular signaling proteins were measured on d 10 of both interventions using a primed, constant infusion of [(2)H(5)]-phenylalanine and Western blotting techniques, respectively. Participants lost approximately 1 kg body weight during ED (P < 0.0001). FSR was reduced approximately 19% (P < 0.05) for ED (0.06 +/- 0.01%/h) compared with WM (0.074 +/- 0.01%/h). Protein kinase B and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 phosphorylation were lower (P < 0.05) during ED compared with WM. AMP activated protein kinase phosphorylation decreased (P < 0.05) over time regardless of energy status. These findings show that FSR and associated synthetic intracellular signaling proteins are downregulated in response to an acute, moderate energy deficit in physically active adults and provide a basis for future studies assessing the impact of prolonged, and perhaps more severe, energy restriction on skeletal muscle protein turnover.

Dietary protein, endurance exercise, and human skeletal-muscle protein turnover.

Purpose of reviewWhereas diet and exercise have been shown to influence whole-body protein utilization, little is known about the impact of these factors on skeletal-muscle protein turnover. We highlight the role of dietary protein in modulating skeletal-muscle protein turnover in response to endurance exercise. Effects of endurance exercise on skeletal-muscle protein metabolism are presented and the influence of habitual protein intake on exercise-related protein responses is discussed. Recent findingsSkeletal-muscle protein turnover increases in response to endurance exercise training and following a single endurance exercise bout. Nutritional supplementation postexercise favorably affects skeletal-muscle protein synthesis and demonstrates amino acid availability as pivotal to the skeletal-muscle synthetic response following exercise. The level of habitual protein intake influences postexercise skeletal-muscle protein turnover. SummaryDietary protein and exercise are powerful stimuli affecting protein turnover. Since variation in habitual protein intake influences skeletal-muscle protein turnover postexercise, investigations are needed to determine what role protein intake has in regulating skeletal-muscle protein metabolism. Long-term, well controlled diet and exercise intervention studies are essential for clarification of the relation between protein intake, endurance exercise, and skeletal-muscle protein turnover. Studies designed to characterize this relationship should be attentive to habitual macronutrient and energy intakes.

Habitual consumption of eggs does not alter the beneficial effects of endurance training on plasma lipids and lipoprotein metabolism in untrained men and women

Changes in plasma lipid and apolipoprotein profiles were evaluated in 12 healthy, unfit subjects (VO(2peak) 39.1+/-2.8 ml.kg(-1).min(-1); 5 women, 7 men) at baseline and following endurance exercise training. The exercise protocol consisted of a 6-week endurance exercise training program (4-5 days week(-1); 60 min.session(-1); > or =65% HR(max)). Subjects were randomly assigned to consume an egg- (n=6; 12 eggs.week(-1)) or no-egg (n=6; 0 eggs.week(-1))-based, eucaloric, standardized diet for 8 weeks. Both diets were macronutrient balanced [60% carbohydrate, 30% fat, 10% protein (0.8 g.kg(-1).day(-1))] and individually designed for weight maintenance. Plasma lipids were measured twice within the same week at baseline and following exercise training. At baseline, subjects were normolipidemic with values of 163.9+/-41.8, 84.8+/-36.7, 60.6+/-15.4 and 93.1+/-52 mg dl(-1) for total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations, respectively. A two-way ANOVA was used to analyze diet and exercise effects and interactions. In both groups, endurance exercise training resulted in a significant 10% increase in HDL-C (P<.05), a 19% decrease in Apo B concentrations (P<.05) and reductions in plasma CETP activity (P<.05). Plasma LDL-C decreased by 21% (P=.06). No main effects of diet or interactions with plasma lipids or Apo B concentrations were observed. These data demonstrate that endurance training improved the plasma lipid profiles of previously unfit, normolipidemic subjects independent of dietary cholesterol intake from eggs.

Effects of short-term energy deficit on muscle protein breakdown and intramuscular proteolysis in normal-weight young adults.

The effects of short-term energy deficit (ED) on direct measures of muscle proteolysis and the intracellular mechanisms by which muscle proteins are degraded at rest and following aerobic exercise are not well described. This study evaluated the effects of a short-term diet-induced ED, on muscle fractional breakdown rate (FBR), intramuscular 26S proteasome activity, caspase-3 activation, and PSMA2 and MAFbx expression at rest, in the postabsorptive state, and following a single bout of moderate aerobic exercise (45 min at 65% peak oxygen uptake). Six men and 4 women participated in two 10-day diet interventions: weight maintenance (WM) followed by ED (80% estimated energy requirements). Dietary protein (1.5 g·kg(-1)·day(-1)) intake was constant for WM and ED. Mixed muscle FBR, proteasome activity, and intracellular proteolytic factor expression were measured using stable isotope methodology, fluorescent enzyme activity assays, and Western blotting, respectively. Overall, FBR and caspase-3 activation increased 60% and 11%, respectively, in response to ED (P < 0.05), but were not influenced by exercise. During ED, 26S proteasome α-subunit PSMA2 expression was 25% higher (P < 0.05) after exercise compared with rest. Exercise did not influence PSMA2 expression during WM, and MAFbx expression and 26S proteasome activity were not affected by ED or exercise. These data illustrate the effects of short-term, moderate ED on muscle protein degradation. In the context of skeletal muscle integrity during weight loss interventions, this work demonstrates a need for further investigations aimed at mitigating muscle loss associated with energy deficit imposed for intentional reduction of total body weight.

Grapes and Grape Products: Their Role in Health

This article reviews grapes, grape products, and their health benefits in humans. Research indicates that grapes and grape juice have strong cardioprotective and anti-inflammatory effects in adults. A review of this research is presented, and practical recommendations for incorporating grapes into a healthy diet to optimize these effects are provided.

Gender impacts the post-exercise substrate and endocrine response in trained runners

BackgroundAlthough several studies have investigated gender differences in the substrate and endocrine responses during and following endurance exercise, few have studied sex differences during a more prolonged recovery period post endurance exercise. The purpose of this study was to compare and characterize the endocrine and substrate profiles of trained male and female adult runners during the three-and-a-half hour recovery period from an endurance run.MethodsAfter consuming a euenergetic diet (1.8 g·kg-1·d-1 protein, 26% fat, 58% carbohydrates, 42.8 ± 1.2 kcal/kg body weight) for 8 days, blood was collected from trained male (n = 6, 21 yrs, 70 kg, 180 cm, 9% body fat, VO2peak 78.0 ± 3.4 mL·kg FFM-1·min-1) and female (n = 6, 23 y, 66 kg, 170 cm, 29% body fat, VO2peak 71.6 ± 4.5 mL·kg FFM-1·min-1) endurance runners at rest and during recovery from a 75 min run at 70% VO2peak. Circulating levels of glucose, lactate, free fatty acids (FFAs), insulin, cortisol, growth hormone (GH), and free insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) were measured.ResultsDuring the recovery period, females experienced increases in glucose, lactate and insulin while no changes were noted in men (P < 0.05). Males experienced increases in GH and decreases in IGF-I levels respectively (P < 0.05) while no changes were observed in females. FFA levels increased during recovery from endurance exercise, but changes were not different between genders.ConclusionThese data further document gender differences in substrate and endocrine changes during a prolonged recovery period following endurance exercise. Future studies are needed to evaluate the effect of differing diets and nutritional supplements on these gender-specific post-exercise substrate and endocrine differences.