Lucas C. Lages, Johanna Lopez, Ana Maria Lopez-Medrano1, Steven E. Atlas, Ana H. Martinez1, Judi M. Woolger, Eduard Tiozzo, Janet Konefal, Armando J. Mendez, Herbert G. Simoes, John E. Lewis
Lages et al., J Clin Transl Res 2016; 2(4): 4
Published online: 3 January, 2017
Abstract
Background: Nutritional approaches that ameliorate cellular senescence may have the potential to counteract the effects of chronic disease.
Aim: This study will investigate the effect of the Healthycell dietary supplement on markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage.
Methods: Thirty adults between the ages of 18 and 55 were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of the two study conditions (n=15 Healthycell and n=15 placebo). Subjects participated in a four-week intervention and were assessed at baseline, four weeks, and six weeks (after a two-week washout period).
Results: Pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1α (t=2.033; mean difference=-3.97 pg/ml; SE=2.0; 95% CI: -8.0, -0.3; Cohen’s d=0.77; p=0.05) decreased, while soluble cytokine receptors sTNFR-I (t=2.057; mean difference=52.39 pg/ml; SE=18.5 95% CI: 5.2, 99.6; Cohen’s d=0.53; p=0.03) and sTNFR-II (t=1.739; mean difference=208.71 pg/ml; SE=72.0; 95% CI: 24.4, 393.0; Cohen’s d=0.61; p=0.02) increased in the treatment group versus control. C-reactive protein also rose in the Healthycell group during the trial (t=2.568; mean difference=1.41 mg/dL; SE=0.4; 95% CI: 0.3, 2.5; Cohen’s d=0.66; p<0.01), without accompanying increases in IL-6 and TNF-α. Additionally, cortisol levels decreased in the Healthycell group (t=0.575; mean difference=-0.31 ug/dL; SE=0.1; 95% CI: -0.6, -0.03; Cohen’s d=0.88; p=0.03). When groups were split by age (<35 years vs. ≥35 years), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, a marker of DNA damage, decreased in the older Healthycell group compared to placebo (t=1.782; mean difference=-7.09 ng/ml; SE=3.0; 95% CI: -13.3, -0.9; Cohen’s d=0.63; p=0.03). Significant changes were also found for sTNFR-I, sTNFR-II, and IL-5 in the older group. All results were obtained from t tests by post-hoc analysis.
Conclusions: Our findings show an improved inflammatory profile and decreased DNA damage. Additionally, the efficacy of Healthycell was primarily in older adults, where the processes that cause or are associated with cell senescence are more predominant.
Relevance for patients: Healthycell may help to counteract the inflammatory effects of aging that lead to both cell senescence and the multitude of age-related chronic diseases.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18053/jctres.02.201604.004
Author affiliations
1 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States
2 Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States
3 Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States
*Corresponding author:
Lucas C. Lages
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, United States
Email: l.lages@umiami.edu
Handling editor:
Michal Heger
Department of Experimental Surgery, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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