Even short-term consumption of a paleolithic type diet improves BP and glucose tolerance, decreases insulin secretion, increases insulin sensitivity and improves lipid profiles without weight loss in healthy sedentary humans.

Background-Hyperlipidemia is associated with endothelial dysfunction, an early event in atherosclerosis and predictor of risk for future coronary artery disease. Epidemiological studies suggest that increased dietary intake of antioxidants reduces the risk of coronary artery disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether antioxidant vitamin therapy improves endothelial function and affects surrogate biomarkers for oxidative stress and inflammation in hyperlipidemic children. Methods and Results-In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the effects of antioxidant vitamins C (500 mg/d) and E (400 IU/d) for 6 weeks and the National Cholesterol Education ProgramStep II (NCEP-II) diet for 6 months on endothelium-dependent flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery were examined in 15 children with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) or the phenotype of familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCH). Antioxidant vitamin therapy improved FMD of the brachial artery compared with baseline (PϽ0.001) without an effect on biomarkers for oxidative stress (autoantibodies to epitopes of oxidized LDL, F 2 -isoprostanes, 8-hydroxy-2Ј-deoxyguanosine), inflammation (C-reactive protein), or levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine, an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide. Conclusions-Antioxidant therapy with vitamins C and E restores endothelial function in hyperlipidemic children. Early detection and treatment of endothelial dysfunction in high-risk children may retard the progression of atherosclerosis.

Even short-term consumption of a Paleolithic-type diet improved glucose control and lipid profiles in people with type 2 diabetes compared with a conventional diet containing moderate salt intake, low-fat dairy, whole grains and legumes.

The amount of sodium chloride in the diet of industrialized nations far exceeds physiological requirements. The impact of abundant dietary salt on skeletal health has yet to be established, but is potentially detrimental through increased urinary calcium losses. We examined the effect of increased dietary sodium chloride on urine calcium excretion and bone turnover markers in postmenopausal women and, further, whether potassium citrate attenuates the effects of increased dietary salt. Postmenopausal women (n = 60) were adapted to a low-salt (87 mmol/d sodium) diet for 3 wk, then randomized to a high-salt (225 mmol/d sodium) diet plus potassium citrate (90 mmol/d) or a high-salt diet plus placebo for 4 wk. Urine calcium, urine N-telopeptide, urine cAMP, serum osteocalcin, and fasting serum PTH were measured at the end of the low- and high-salt diets. On the high salt plus placebo diet, urine calcium increased 42 +/- 12 mg/d (mean +/- SEM), but decreased 8 +/- 14 mg/d in the high salt plus potassium citrate group (P = 0.008, potassium citrate vs. placebo, unpaired t test). N-telopeptide increased 6.4 +/- 1.4 nanomoles bone collagen equivalents per millimole creatinine in the high salt plus placebo group and 2.0 +/- 1.7 nanomoles bone collagen equivalents per millimole creatinine in the high salt plus potassium citrate group (P < 0.05, potassium citrate vs. placebo, unpaired t test). Osteocalcin, PTH, and cAMP were not significantly altered. The addition of oral potassium citrate to a high-salt diet prevented the increased excretion of urine calcium and the bone resorption marker caused by a high salt intake. Increased intake of dietary sources of potassium alkaline salts, namely fruit and vegetables, may be beneficial for postmenopausal women at risk for osteoporosis, particularly those consuming a diet generous in sodium chloride.