The Vitamin Professor

Gene Bruno, MS, MHS, RH(AHG) is a 45-year veteran of the dietary supplement industry, and for 20 of those years he served as Professor of Nutraceutical Science at Huntington University of Health Sciences. He now serves as Chief Scientific Officer for Nutraland USA. As “The Vitamin Professor”, Gene will share the most recent research on nutraceuticals in this free bimonthly newsletter. Make sure to subscribe.

This issue of The Vitamin Professor will focus on recent research related to urolithin A for muscle strength and endurance; caffeine for Zumba training; and Curcumin for type 2 diabetes.

Urolithin A for muscle strength and endurance

An 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study[1] was conducted to investigate the impact of 1 g Urolithin A (UA) or placebo daily on muscle endurance, muscle strength, inflammatory levels, oxidative stress, and protein metabolism status in twenty resistance-trained male athletes. Muscle strength and muscle endurance measures were assessed and fasting venous blood samples and morning urine samples were collected to evaluate their oxidative stress levels, inflammatory markers, and protein metabolism status. Results were that significant improvements were noted in Maximum Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC, p = 0.000) and repetitions to failure (RTF) performance (p = 0.001). Furthermore, the group receiving UA supplementation, compared to the placebo group, showed significant improvements in MVIC (p = 0.048) and RTF (p = 0.011), indicating that the UA group exhibited superior performance enhancements in these metrics compared to the placebo group. Additionally, the UA group showed a significant decrease in 3-methylhistidine (3-MH) compared to baseline measurement (p = 0.049), and the UA group exhibited a significant decrease in CRP (p = 0.032) compared to the placebo group. Furthermore, the UA group showed a significant decrease in SOD compared to the placebo group (p = 0.041). Non statistically significant differences after 8 weeks of UA supplementation included increases in 1RM bench press and squat in the UA group compared to baseline, and an increase in 1RM bench press and squat compared to the placebo group. In conclusion, after 8 weeks of UA supplementation at 1 g/day, resistance-trained male athletes showed improvements in muscle strength and endurance. Additionally, UA supplementation was also associated with reduced oxidative stress levels and a decrease in inflammation response levels.

Caffeine for Zumba training

A randomized controlled trial[2] explored the effect of daily caffeine supplementation (100 mg/day) and 12-week of Zumba training on functional performances in 85 middle-aged women. Participants were randomized into 4 groups including control, Zumba training (ZT), caffeine supplementation (Ca) or caffeine-Zumba training (Ca + ZT) groups. Functional performances were assessed using 10 m Walk, Timed Up and Go, Functional Reach, and 30-Second Chair Stand tests. Results were that ZT, Ca and Ca + ZT intervention programs showed significant (p < 0.05) functional performances improvement. However, Ca + ZT group showed significant (p < 0.001) better scores in terms of mobility, gait speed and lower body endurance strength, except for dynamic balance. In conclusion, 12-week of Zumba training improves functional performances in middle-aged women, and daily caffeine intake is an effective alternative for improving such performances. Supplementing caffeine (100 mg/day) to Zumba training was effective in boosting Zumba benefits on these functional performances.

Curcumin for type 2 diabetes

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial[3] assessed the efficacy of curcumin (from Curcuma longa) for improving type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in subjects (n = 272) with criteria for type 2 diabetes. All subjects were randomly assigned to receive curcumin (1500 mg/day) or placebo with blind labels for 12 months. To assess the improvement of T2DM after curcumin treatments body weight and body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, β-cell function (homeostasis model assessment [HOMA-β]), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), insulin, adiponectin, and leptin were monitored at the baseline and at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month visits during the course of intervention. Results were that after 12 months of treatment, the curcumin-treated group showed a significant decrease in fasting blood glucose (115.49 vs.130.71; P < 0.05) and HbA1c (6.12 vs. 6.47; P < 0.05). In addition, the curcumin-treated group showed a better overall function of β-cells, with higher HOMA-β (136.20 vs. 105.19; P < 0.01) The curcumin-treated group showed a lower level of HOMA-IR (4.86 vs. 6.04; P < 0.001) and higher adiponectin (i.e., a hormone that helps regulate glucose and fatty acid levels,14.51 vs. 10.36; P < 0.001) when compared to the placebo group. The curcumin-treated group also showed a lower level of leptin (i.e., a hormone that helps regulate body weight, 9.42 vs. 20.66; P < 0.001). Additionally, body mass index was lowered (25.9 4 vs.29.34; P = 0.001). In conclusion, a 12-month curcumin intervention in type 2 diabetes patients shows a significant glucose-lowering effect. Curcumin treatment appeared to improve the overall function of β-cells and reduce both insulin resistance and body weight, with very minor adverse effects. Curcumin intervention in obese patients with type 2 diabetes may be beneficial.

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References

[1] Zhao H, Zhu H, Yun H, et al. Assessment of Urolithin A effects on muscle endurance, strength, inflammation, oxidative stress, and protein metabolism in male athletes with resistance training: an 8-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2024;21(1):2419388. doi:10.1080/15502783.2024.2419388.

[2] Waer FB, Alexe DI, Chaari F, et al. Caffeine optimizes Zumba training benefits on functional performances in middle-aged women: a randomized trial study. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):25657. Published 2024 Oct 27. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-76650-0.

[3] Yaikwawong M, Jansarikit L, Jirawatnotai S, Chuengsamarn S. Curcumin extract improves beta cell functions in obese patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial. Nutr J. 2024;23(1):119. Published 2024 Oct 1. doi:10.1186/s12937-024-01022-3.