Effects of γ-aminobutyric acid-enriched fermented sea tangle (Laminaria japonica) on brain derived neurotrophic factor-related muscle growth and lipolysis in middle aged women

Wook chul Choi, Storm N.S. Reid, Je kwang Ryu, Yunsook Kim, Young Hong Jo, Byeong Hwan Jeon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched fermented sea tangle (GFST), as a functional food, on brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-related muscle growth and lipolysis, in a sarcopenic obesity highrisk group. Twenty-one middle-aged women (53-63 y) participated in this randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study. Participants ingested either 1,000 mg of GFST (n = 10) or a sucrose placebo (CON) (n = 11) everyday, for 8 weeks. Subjects were asked to abstain from any regular exercise. Fasting venous blood samples, body composition and muscular strength were measured before and after supplementation period. Collectively, we demonstrated that GFST significantly decreased total fat mass and triglyceride in body composition, as well as significantly increasing serum BDNF (p < 0.001), angiotensin converting enzyme (p < 0.001), human growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 levels (p < 0.05 and p < 0.05, respectively) accompanied by increased total lean mass (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the reported improvements in total work, knee extension and flexion at 60° s -1 (p < 0.05), and peak torque normalized to body weight of knee flexion at 60° s -1 (p < 0.05), support an ergogenic effect of GABA associated with increased growth factor levels. The use of GFST, as a functional food ingredient, to elicit anti-obesity effects and stimulate the release of muscle-related growth factors with increasing serum BDNF levels may provide a protective intervention for age-related degeneration such as sarcopenic obesity.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)175-187
Number of pages13
JournalAlgae
Volume31
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2016

Keywords

  • Brain derived neurotrophic factor
  • Fermented sea tangle
  • Sarcopenic obesity
  • Γ-aminobutyric acid

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