Background: We have previously noted beneficial health outcomes when individuals follow a dietary restriction plan in accordance with the Daniel Fast (DF). This is true whether individuals eliminate all animal products or include small amounts of meat and dairy in their plan. The present study sought to compare anthropometric and biochemical measures of health in individuals following a traditional DF (i.e., restricted vegan) or modified DF (i.e., restricted omnivorous; inclusive of ad libitum meat and skim milk consumption), with those following an unrestricted vegan diet plan. Methods: 35 subjects (six men; 29 women; 33 ± 2 years; range: 18–67 years) completed a 21-day diet plan. Subjects reported to the lab for pre- (day 1) and post-intervention testing (day 22) in a 10 h fasted state. Blood samples were collected and assayed for complete blood count, metabolic panel, lipid panel, insulin, HOMA-IR, C-reactive protein, and oxidative stress biomarkers (malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein products, and nitrate/nitrite). Heart rate and blood pressure were measured and body composition was determined via dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Subjects’ self-reported compliance, mental and physical health, and satiety in relation to the dietary modification were recorded. Results: No interaction effects were noted for our outcome measures (p > 0.05). However, subjects in the traditional DF group reported an approximate 10% increase in perceived mental and physical health, with a 25% reduction in malondialdehyde and a 33% reduction in blood insulin. Systolic BP was reduced approximately 7 mmHg in subjects assigned to the traditional DF, with an approximate 5 mmHg reduction in subjects assigned to the modified DF and the unrestricted vegan plan. A small (2 mmHg) reduction in diastolic BP was noted for subjects in both DF groups; a slight increase in diastolic BP was noted for subjects assigned to the unrestricted vegan group. An approximate 20% reduction was noted in total and LDL cholesterol for subjects in the traditional DF group, with an approximate 10% decrease for subjects in the modified DF group. No decrease in total or LDL cholesterol was noted for subjects in the unrestricted vegan group. Conclusion: These data indicate that both a traditional or modified DF may improve blood pressure and blood lipids in a clinically meaningful manner if these results are sustained over the long term. A traditional DF also results in a significant reduction in blood insulin and oxidative stress. An unrestricted vegan diet may improve systolic blood pressure, but in the absence of measures to strictly monitor adherence, it does not favorably impact other markers of health measured in the present study.

BackgroundHigenamine, also known as norcoclaurine, is an herbal constituent thought to act as a beta-2 adrenergic receptor agonist—possibly stimulating lipolysis. It was the purpose of this study to determine the impact of a higenamine-based dietary supplement on plasma free fatty acids and energy expenditure following acute oral ingestion.MethodsSixteen healthy subjects (8 men; 26.1 ± 2.5 yrs; 8 women 22.4 ± 3.1 yrs) ingested a dietary supplement containing a combination of higenamine, caffeine (270 mg), and yohimbe bark extract or a placebo, on two separate occasions in a double-blind, randomized, cross-over design, separated by 6–8 days. Blood samples were collected immediately before ingestion, and at 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes post ingestion, and analyzed for plasma free fatty acids (FFA) and glycerol. Breath samples were collected at the same times for a measure of kilocalorie expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) using indirect calorimetry. Heart rate and blood pressure were recorded at all times. Data collection occurred in the morning following a 10 hour overnight fast.ResultsA condition effect was noted for both FFA (p < 0.0001) and kilocalorie expenditure (p = 0.001), with values higher for supplement compared to placebo at 60, 120, and 180 minutes post ingestion. No statistically significant effects were noted for glycerol or RER (p > 0.05). A condition effect was noted for heart rate (p = 0.03) and systolic blood pressure (p < 0.0001), with values higher for supplement compared to placebo.ConclusionIngestion of a higenamine-based dietary supplement stimulates lipolysis and energy expenditure, as evidenced by a significant increase in circulating FFA and kilocalorie expenditure. The same supplement results in a moderate increase in heart rate (~3 bpm) and systolic blood pressure (~12 mmHg), which is consistent with previous studies evaluating moderate doses of caffeine and yohimbine, suggesting that higenamine contributes little to the increase in these hemodynamic variables. These findings are in reference to young, healthy and active men and women.

Background: Humans consuming a purified vegan diet known as the "Daniel Fast" realize favorable changes in blood lipids, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers, with subjective reports of improved physical capacity. Objective: We sought to determine if this purified vegan diet was synergistic with exercise in male rats. Methods: Long–Evans rats (n = 56) were assigned to be exercise trained (+E) by running on a treadmill three days per week at a moderate intensity or to act as sedentary controls with normal activity. After the baseline physical performance was evaluated by recording run time to exhaustion, half of the animals in each group were fed ad libitum for three months a purified diet formulated to mimic the Daniel Fast (DF) or a Western Diet (WD). Physical performance was evaluated again at the end of month 3, and body composition was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Blood was collected for measurements of lipids, oxidative stress, and inflammatory biomarkers. Results: Physical performance at the end of month 3 was higher compared to baseline for both exercise groups (p < 0.05), with a greater percent increase in the DF + E group (99%) than in the WD + E group (51%). Body fat was lower in DF than in WD groups at the end of month 3 (p < 0.05). Blood triglycerides, cholesterol, malondialdehyde, and advanced oxidation protein products were significantly lower in the DF groups than in the WD groups (p < 0.05). No significant differences were noted in cytokines levels between the groups (p > 0.05), although IL-1β and IL-10 were elevated three-fold and two-fold in the rats fed the WD compared to the DF rats, respectively. Conclusions: Compared to a WD, a purified diet that mimics the vegan Daniel Fast provides significant anthropometric and metabolic benefits to rats, while possibly acting synergistically with exercise training to improve physical performance. These findings highlight the importance of macronutrient composition and quality in the presence of ad libitum food intake.

Low circulating testosterone levels can present numerous problems related to the overall health and well-being of individuals, men in particular. This finding is well-documented in the literature and low testosterone appears more prevalent in older men, in particular those who are physically inactive and who present with elevated levels of body fat. Multiple botanical (herbal) products have been claimed to elevate circulating testosterone in men; however, data pertaining to the use of such herbal preparations obtained from human clinical trials are limited. This review examines the research to date pertaining to the use of herbal ingredients with regards to their ability to elevate blood testosterone levels. A collective summary of the findings indicate that certain herbal supplements may actually yield an increase in testosterone (e.g., Longjack root), while most others have little to no evidence in support of their use in human subjects. Additional, well-controlled clinical trials are needed to generate data relative to the use of herbal dietary supplements to increase circulating testosterone. Testosterone is generally measured as either "free" (unbound) or "total" (unbound and chemically bound). Men who have a morning serum testosterone level < 300 ng/dL are considered to be "low" and may be a candidate for testosterone replacement therapy-which has become more common in recent years due to the increased diagnosis of andropause [55]. Insufficient levels of testosterone due to either impaired production or uptake can present serious health consequences due to the wide array of applications of testosterone within the human body. Areas including skeletal muscle health, muscular strength, and overall well-being/vitality seem to be significantly affected by testosterone status. Increasing Circulating Testosterone: Impact of Herbal Dietary SupplementsTrintThe role of testosterone in muscle growth has been investigated extensively in both humans and animals [56][57][58][59][60][61][62]. One study in men concluded that the testosterone-induced increase in muscle volume is due to muscle fiber hypertrophy [63]. A follow-up study conducted a year later noted muscle hypertrophy in men over a period of 20 weeks of treatment with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and a 125-, 300-, or 600-mg weekly dose of testosterone enanthate. The main findings from this study indicated that testosterone administration was associated with a significant increase in myonuclear number in men receiving the 300-and 600-mg doses.Muscular strength is another important factor that has been shown to be affected by testosterone levels in the body [56,61,62,[64][65][66]. A recent investigation utilized 267 men with stages 2-4 of Chronic Kidney Disease to assess the impact of testosterone level on a variety of variables [64]. This study found that testosterone was significantly and independently associated with handgrip strength, muscle mass, and nutritional status as the disease progressed. Another study explored short-term testoste...

D-aspartic acid (DAA), nitrate, and vitamin D 3 have received considerable attention in recent years for their potential health-enhancing properties. Using an open-label design, we evaluated the impact of a DAA/sodium nitrate/ vitamin D 3 dietary supplement on blood testosterone and nitrate/nitrite, as well as subjective indicators of health, in middle-aged men.Methods: 10 overweight or obese men (mean age: 42 years) were assigned to ingest a DAA/sodium nitrate/ vitamin D 3 supplement (either one or two servings per day) for 28 days. Blood total and free testosterone and nitrate/nitrite was measured before and after 14 and 28 days of supplementation. Subjective assessment of to health indicators (e.g., energy level, libido) was included at each collection time.Results: Total and free testosterone increased on average 5-10%, which was not of statistical significance (p>0.05). The response was highly variable; some men failed to respond to treatment, while men with relatively low basal testosterone values experienced increases exceeding 20%. Plasma nitrate/nitrite was increased approximately 6-10 fold after treatment with the supplement, with a trend noted for a time effect (p=0.07). Men reported a significantly better feeling following supplement use, as evidenced by a time effect for both vitality (p=0.02) and libido (p=0.04), with a trend noted for increased energy level (p=0.08) and mental outlook and mood (p=0.10). Conclusion:Twenty-eight days of treatment with a DAA/sodium nitrate/ vitamin D 3 dietary supplement increased blood nitrate/nitrite and improved subjective feelings of vitality and libido in middle-aged men. In selected men with low basal testosterone values, the supplement increased circulating levels of this hormone.