Immunomodulatory Effects ofKimchiin Chinese Healthy College Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

This study examined the potential immunomodulatory effects of Kimchi, a traditional fermented Korean vegetable, in healthy Chinese college students. The four-week clinical-trial (randomized, open-label, prospective, controlled) was followed by a one week wash-out period. Healthy Chinese college students (over 20 years of age with a body mass index of 18.5-23.0 kg/m2) volunteered for this study. Forty-three students were randomly classified into two groups, Kimchi (n = 21, supplemented with 100 g of Kimchi per day) or non-Kimchi (n = 22, supplemented with 100 g of radish per day, control) groups. During the four-week intervention period, students were asked to maintain their usual diet and activity, and instructed not to take any medications, functional food products, or dietary supplements. Anthropometrics, nutritional intake, and blood immune parameters (lymphocyte subsets, cytokines, and immunoglobulins) were measured before and after the four weeks of intervention. Thirty-nine students (19 in the Kimchi group, 20 in the non-Kimchi group) finished the study. After the intervention, no significant changes were observed in lymphocyte subsets (T-cell, B-cell, NK cell), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10), and immunoglobulins (Ig A, G, and M) between groups in either the Kimchi or non-Kimchi. These results suggest that the short-term consumption of Kimchi has no immunomodulatory effects in healthy Chinese college students.

The Association between Food Group Consumption Patterns and Early Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Non-Diabetic Healthy People

“…It is partly in accordance with the report of Oh et al [ 29 ] presenting that consumption of rice combined with kimchi was related to a lower risk of MetS. However, no significant changes were observed in proinflammatory cytokines after 4-week kimchi consumption in Chinese people performed by Lee et al [ 30 ]. To elucidate the relationship between kimchi consumption and inflammation, long-term prospective observation studies are needed.…”

Korean traditional foods as antiviral and respiratory disease prevention and treatments: A detailed review

“…Previous studies investigated the J o u r n a l P r e -p r o o f pharmacological efficacy for the asthma treatment in mice only using 30 mg/Kg of MT (Ji Yun Kim, Kim, & Kam, 2003). Also, in humans, Korean fermented foods as kimchi were investigated for potential immune system-stimulating effects (H. Lee, Kim, Lee, Jang, & Choue, 2014). In this study, healthy college students aged over 20 and having a body mass index of 18.5-23.0 kg/m 2 took 100 g of Kimchi once a day for one month.…”