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Effect of the Mediterranean diet supplemented with nicotinamide riboside and pterostilbene and/or coconut oil on anthropometric variables in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. A pilot study.

Frontiers in nutrition
May 5, 2023
Sandra Carrera-Juliá et al. (8 authors)
Journal ArticleHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to assess the impact of a Mediterranean Diet supplemented with coconut oil on anthropometric variables (e.g., muscle mass, fat percentage) in patients with ALS.

Results Summary

Coconut oil supplementation significantly increased muscle mass percentage and decreased fat mass percentage, subscapular skinfolds, and abdominal skinfolds in ALS patients. The combination of antioxidants and coconut oil also improved muscle mass and reduced abdominal skinfolds.

Population

40 subjects with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), divided into four study groups.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (11)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER
increase
muscle mass percentage
patients with ALS
-
significantly increased
#1
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER
decrease
fat mass percentage
patients with ALS
-
decreased
#2
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER
decrease
triceps skinfolds
patients with ALS
-
decreased
#3
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER
decrease
iliac crest skinfolds
patients with ALS
-
decreased
#4
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER
decrease
abdominal skinfolds
patients with ALS
-
decreased
#5
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with coconut oil
increase
muscle mass percentage
patients with ALS
-
significantly increased
#6
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with coconut oil
decrease
fat mass percentage
patients with ALS
-
decreased
#7
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with coconut oil
decrease
subscapular skinfolds
patients with ALS
-
decreased
#8
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with coconut oil
decrease
abdominal skinfolds
patients with ALS
-
decreased
#9
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER and coconut oil
increase
muscle mass percentage
patients with ALS
-
significantly increased
#10
Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER and coconut oil
decrease
abdominal skinfolds
patients with ALS
-
decreased
#11
Abstract

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease that causes the death of motor neurons and alters patients' body composition. Supplementation with the antioxidants nicotinamide riboside (NR) and pterostilbene (PTER) can combat associated oxidative stress. Additionally, coconut oil is an alternative energy substrate that can address mitochondrial dysfunction. The aim of the present study is to assess the impact of a Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER and/or with coconut oil on the anthropometric variables of patients with ALS. A prospective, mixed, randomized, analytical and experimental pilot study in humans was performed through a clinical trial (registered with ClinicalTrials.gov under number NCT03489200) with pre- and post-intervention assessments. The sample was made up of 40 subjects categorized into four study groups (Control, Antioxidants, Coconut oil, and Antioxidants + Coconut oil). Pre- and post-intervention anthropometric assessments were carried out to determine the following data: weight, percentage of fat and muscle mass, skinfolds, body perimeters, Body Mass Index (BMI), Waste-to-Hip Index (WHI) and Waist-Height Ratio (WHR). Compared to the Control group, GAx significantly increased muscle mass percentage and decreased fat mass percentage, triceps, iliac crest, and abdominal skinfolds. GCoco significantly increased muscle mass percentage and decreased fat mass percentage, subscapular skinfolds, and abdominal skinfolds. GAx + coco significantly increased muscle mass percentage and decreased abdominal skinfolds. Therefore, our results suggest that the Mediterranean Diet supplemented with NR and PTER and the Mediterranean Diet supplemented with coconut oil (ketogenic diet) are the two nutritional interventions that have reported the greatest benefits, at anthropometric level.

Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy75/10
Quality80/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations12
Citations/Year6.0
Relative Citation Ratio2.48
NIH Percentile80.6%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.50
Weight Score1.43
Normalized Score0.66
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