ONLINE DRIVERS MEDIA

Brain builders and muscle builders are similarly effective DNA protectors in the elderly.

As a SuppVersity reader you wont be surprised to hear that Bernhard Franzke and his colleagues from the University of Vienna were able to confirm that resistance training can improve the resistance of human DNA to H2O2 damage in institutionalised elderly. What may be news to you, though, is that very similar effects can be achieved by cognitive training in form of coordinative or cognitive tasks that were performed only two times per week by the 105 institutionalised elderly women and men (aged 65–98 years) the scientists recruited from five different senior residences in the area of Vienna (Franzke. 2014).
In the recent Austrian study, the subjects had been randomized to three groups. The previously described cognitive training group, which also served as a "control", as well as two resistance training groups.

"The RT groups (RT and RTS) performed two sessions of RT per week, supervised by a sport scientist, conducted on two non-consecutive days. Training attendance was recorded every session. The only equipment used was exercise bands and a chair. [...] The main part consisted of 10 exercises for the main muscle groups (legs, back, abdomen, chest, shoulder and arms). One training session started with 10 min of warm-up, continued with 30–40 min of strength training and ended with a 10-min cool-down. To keep the training stimulus high enough, the exercise program was adjusted to the participants’ individual needs, by either adapting the resistance of the elastic band (shorter or stronger band) or by modifying the exercise, by means of performing a more diffiult version. In the initial phase (4 weeks) one set of 15 repetitions was performed in order to learn the correct form of each exercise. From the fifth week on, the intensity and volume were progressively increased from two sets of light exercises to two sets of heavy resistance. If the participants could easily perform two sets of 15 repetitions they were told either to take more resistance or to perform a more difficult version of the exercise" (Franzke. 2014).

In contrast to the RT group, which did "nothing", but the previously described resistance training regimen, the subjects in the RTS group consumed a multi-ingredient supplement every morning, as well as directly after each training session. Said supplement consisted of 20.7g protein [56 energy (En) %, 19.7g whey protein, 3 g leucine, >10 g essential amino acids], 9.3 g carbohydrates (25 En%, 0.8 BE); 3.0 g fat (18 En%), 1.2 g roughage (2 En%), 800 IU (20 ?g) of vitamin D, 250 mg calcium, vitamins C, E, B6 and B12, folic acid and magnesium (one portion FortiFit, Nutricia with a total energy content per drink of only 150 kcal).

Figure 1: Changes in parameters of DNA damage and antioxidant enzyme expression (Franzke. 2014).

In spite of the fact that the intake of the nutritional supplement was controlled at breakfast as well as after the training sessions, it did not provide significant additional benefits on top of the regular resistance training protocol.

We should keep in mind, though, that (a) non-significant benefits were visible for the formamidopyrimidine DNA glycosylase (FPG) and the expression of superoxide dismutase and that (b) the actual benefits of protein supplements would have become visible only if the scientists had accessed the changes in body composition, as well.
References:

• Franzke, B. et al. "The impact of six months strength training, nutritional supplementation or cognitive training on DNA damage in institutionalised elderly." Mutagenesis (2015):147–153.

GMO Soybean oil? Better for cars only.

I am pretty sure there will be rebuttals to the results of this study... although, its published in the OpenSource journal Nutrients and was conducted by scientists from Saudi Arabia and the UK who probably dont have the media-connections the scientists who conducted the GMO-corn study back in the day had.

Against that background its unlikely that non-SuppVersity-readers will even hear about the paper El-Kholy et al. published in the June edition of Nutrients (El-Kohly. 2014) -- Well, that is - unless you spread the word, obviously ;-)
Lets take a look at the methods and results, now. Needless to say that we are talking about preliminary rodent data, here - data from 40 adult male albino rats, to be precise. The rats were used in this study and divided into four groups.

• The control group of rodents was fed basal ration only. 
• The second group was given basal ration mixed with extra virgin olive oil (30%). 
• The third group was fed basal ration mixed with soybean oil from GM-soy (15%).
• The fourth group survived on a combination of EV olive oil, GM and the basal ration.

All rodents were kept on the respective diets for 65 consecutive days. On day 65, blood samples were collected from each rat for antioxidant enzyme analysis.

Figure 1: Lipid oxidation and glutathione levels (El-Kohly. 2014)

"In the group fed on basal ration mixed with GM soyabean (15%), there was a significant increase in serum level of lipid peroxidation, while glutathione transferase decreased significantly. [...] the amount of DNA and NCE were significantly decreased. [...] We can conclude that adding EV olive oil to the diet of rats appears effective in inhibiting oxidative damage and may act as a protective agent against chronic diseases such as liver fibrosis, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. In addition, EV olive oil may also have a protective function against carcinogenic processes." (El-Kohly. 2014)

Thats an intriguing result and one of which I am asking myself if youd see it with regular soybean oil, as well.
Reference:

• El-Kholy, T.A.; Hilal, M.A.; Al-Abbadi, H.A.; Serafi, A.S.; Al-Ghamdi, A.K.; Sobhy, H.M.; Richardson, J.R.C. The Effect of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Soybean on DNA, Cytogenicity and Some Antioxidant Enzymes in Rats. Nutrients 2014, 6, 2376-2386.