Epidemiologic evidence supports that diets rich in polyphenols promote health and may delay the onset of colon cancer. Cocoa and chocolate products have some of the highest polyphenolic concentrations compared to other polyphenolic food sources. This study tested the hypothesis that a diet including dark chocolate can protect against colon cancer by inhibiting aberrant crypt foci (ACF) formation, downregulating gene expression of inflammatory mediators, and favorably altering cell kinetics. We also investigated whether bloomed dark chocolate retains the antioxidant capacity and protects against colon cancer. Forty-eight rats received either a diet containing control (no chocolate), regular dark chocolate, or bloomed dark chocolate and were injected subcutaneously with saline or azoxymethane. Relative to control, both regular and bloomed dark chocolate diets lowered the total number of ACF (P = 0.022). Chocolate diet-fed animals downregulated transcription levels of COX-2 (P = 0.035) and RelA (P = 0.045). Both chocolate diets lowered the proliferation index (P = 0.001). These results suggest that a diet including dark chocolate can reduce cell proliferation and some gene expression involving inflammation, which may explain the lower number of early preneoplastic lesions. These results provide new insight on polyphenol-rich chocolate foods and colon cancer prevention.
Overall, daily breakfasts including two eggs for twelve weeks did not adversely affect lipids during a resistance training program and promoted improvements in plasma TG.
Colonic tumors arise from perturbations of the homeostasis among cell proliferation and apoptosis. Cocoa and chocolate products have among the highest concentrations of polyphenols and an increasing body of epidemiologic evidence supports that polyphenol‐rich diets promote health and attenuate or delay the onset of various diseases, including colon cancer. We determined whether dark chocolate protects against colon cancer by favorable alteration of cell kinetics (cell proliferation and apoptosis). Forty eight male Spague Dawley rats were assigned to receive diets containing control (no chocolate), regular or bloomed dark chocolate (10% of diet) and injected with saline or azoxymethane (2 times at wk 3 and 4). Cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined using Ki‐67 antibody and TUNEL assay, respectively. Carcinogen treatment increased proliferation index (P=0.003) and expanded proliferation zone (P=0.007). Dark chocolate diets, regardless regular or bloomed, lowered proliferation index (P=0.001) especially in lower 1/3 of colonic crypt (P<0.001) compared to control. Apoptosis was not significantly different among diets. These results suggest that cell proliferation was one of the key responses to carcinogen as a function of diet. Dark chocolate reduces risk of colon cancer by inhibiting cell proliferation rather than alteration of apoptosis. Supported by CHNR08‐810 and SDSU NUTR 302L class.
Resistance training has been consistently demonstrated to reduce blood pressure, even in normotensive individuals; however, less is known about diet/exercise interactions on blood pressure. Our purpose was to examine the effect of resistance training three times per week on blood pressure in 44 normotensive adults aged 18–35 years. Subjects were randomly assigned to consume isoenergetic (400 kcal) breakfasts every day that were either egg‐based (including two eggs per day) bagel‐based. Resistance training included 3–4 sets of 10 exercises of major muscle groups. Each set was performed at 60–90% of one repetition maximum for 8–10 repetitions. Overall, systolic blood pressure decreased (P<.05) from 115+/−21 to 107 +/− 32 mmHg, while diastolic blood pressure decreased (p<.05) from 70 +/− 13 to 63 +/− 19 mmHG. However, no statistically significant changes were detectable within dietary groups after 6 weeks (p‐values were between .07–.15), likely due to relatively low statistical power. In conclusion, six weeks of resistance training three times per week promoted improvements in blood pressure for study participants overall, and dietary composition of breakfast appeared to have little, if any, impact on the outcome. Supported by the Egg Nutrition Center.
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