• Energy Research

Sedentary/inactive lifestyle leads middle-aged and older adults to metabolic syndrome and frailty. Capsinoids from nonpungent chili pepper cultivar have been reported to reduce body fat mass, promote metabolism, and improve unidentified complaints of chills. Additionally, they have an anti-inflammation effect; therefore, we hypothesized that continuous oral ingestion of capsinoids alleviates age-related inflammation in the brain and improves the physical activity (PA) in middle-aged and older adults. In our double-blind human study, 69 participants (17 male, 52 female; mean age: 74.1 ± 7.7 years; range: 52–87 years) were administered either 9 mg of capsinoids which were extracted from pepper fruit variety CH-19 Sweet (Capsicum anuum L.) (CP group), or a placebo (PL group) daily over a 3 month period. In an animal study, PA and inflammation-related mRNA expression in the brain were examined in 5-week (young) and 53-week (old) aged mice fed a diet with or without 0.3% dihydrocapsiate, a type of capsinoids, for 12 weeks. In a human study, capsinoids intake did not increase the amount of light-to-moderate PA less than 6.0 metabolic equivalents (METs) (CP: 103.0 ± 28.2 at baseline to 108.2 ± 28.3 at 12 weeks; PL: 104.6 ± 19.8 at baseline to 115.2 ± 23.6 at 12 weeks, METs × hour/week); however, in participants exhibiting an inactive lifestyle, it showed significant increase (CP: 84.5 ± 17.2 at baseline to 99.2 ± 24.9 at 12 weeks; PL: 99.7 ± 23.3 at baseline to 103.8 ± 21.9 at 12 weeks). The energy expenditure in physical activity also improved in the inactive CP group (CP: 481.2 ± 96.3 at baseline to 562.5 ± 145.5 at 12 weeks; PL: 536.8 ± 112.2 at baseline to 598.6 ± 127.6 at 12 weeks; kcal/day). In all participants, CP showed reduced waist circumference, percent body fat, and visceral fat volume; in addition, chills were eased in subjects aged 80 years and older. The older mice fed capsinoids showed increased locomotion activity, decreased inflammation, and oxidative stress in the brain. The results suggest that the continuous oral ingestion of capsinoids gains PA through anti-inflammation effect in the brain as well as reduces fat accumulation and chills in inactive and older humans.

Background:  Asian people are divided into the individuals who can ingest alcohol and cannot because of the difference of aldehyde dehydrogenase‐2 (ALDH2) genotype. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of ALDH2 genotype on cardiac autonomic nervous responses to moderate alcohol ingestion.Methods:  Subjects were 17 healthy male students at Kyoto University. According to the difference of ALDH2 genotype, they were divided into two groups: the STRONG (n = 10) and WEAK (n = 7) group. The subjects ingested 10 (the LITTLE trial) or 30 g (the MUCH trial) of pure alcohol on a separate day randomly. We collected ECG data and analyzed QT interval.Results:  ECG QT interval, the important marker for sudden cardiac death in cardiac patients as well as healthy people, of the STRONG group were not prolonged after alcohol ingestion, but that of the WEAK group were significantly prolonged, compared to control. Moreover, with respect to the comparison of the change of QT interval between the LITTLE and MUCH trials, there were also no significant differences in the STRONG group. In the WEAK group, however, the change was more marked at MUCH trial.Conclusions:  It is concluded that the cardiovascular response to alcohol ingestion is influenced by ALDH2 genotype and that the drinking assumed to be in moderation puts a strain on the hearts for the ALDH2‐deficient individuals. The results of this investigation show that moderate drinking does not have a good effect on everybody with respect to QT interval. This study also shows that moderate alcohol intake does not have a bad effect on the immune system regardless of ALDH2 genotype.