• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.470-477
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of homocysteine and antioxidant nutrients with obesity in Korean middle aged women. The study subjects included were middle-aged obese women (n=36) whose body mass index (BMI) was greater than $25kg/m^2$. A total of 36 participants were randomly divided into two groups. They were assigned to either the Nutritional Management and Exercise (NME) program or the Exercise Management (EM) program, which were both conducted for 3 months. We measured serum homocysteine, total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels of the participant. We also measured the dietary intakes of antioxidant nutrient, cholesterol, body weight, body mass index, blood pressure, and $VO_2$. At the end of both programs, please confirm this change. It was unclear when these measurements were shown to have decreased. The body weight and BMI of NME group were decreased compared to those of EM group. The serum total cholesterol levels of the participants in NME group were significantly decreased, in contrast to EM group. Also, serum homocysteine levels of NME group participants were decreased compared to EM group, but the difference was not statistically significant. In the NME group, there were significant differences in the change of dietary cholesterol and vitamin C intake. These results showed that participating NME program will continuously promote the healthy status of the middle aged obese women, compared to participating only in the EM program.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.74-80
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• 2016

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Cardiovascular diseases is a major cause of death and is responsible for 23.8% of deaths in Korea. Clinical symptoms manifest in adulthood, but susceptibility begins in utero. Elevated homocysteine levels and adiposity might be linked to a greater risk in children as well as adults. We hypothesized that those who have simultaneous risk for folate and adiposity would be affected with elevated homocysteine levels at 3 years of age. SUBJECTS/METHODS: From the ongoing birth cohort at Ewha Womans University Mok-Dong Hospital, we compared adiposity parameters, serum homocysteine, and folate levels in 238 children (118 boys and 120 girls) at three years of age. The relationship between birth outcome, current weight and body mass index (BMI), postnatal growth, and homocysteine level were assessed using correlation and general linear model. Additionally, we assessed the combined effect between blood folate status and adiposity on current homocysteine levels. RESULTS: Birth characteristics were not correlated with homocysteine. Current weight, BMI, upper-arm circumference, skinfold thickness, waist circumference, and hip circumference were positively correlated with homocysteine at three years of age (P < 0.05). Folate level was negatively correlated with homocysteine at three years of age (P < 0.0001). A relative high anthropometric measure which is compatible with adiposity and low folate level was associated with high homocysteine levels. CONCLUSION: We found a combined effect of adiposity and folate levels with homocysteine levels at three years of age. This implicates the beneficial role of folate supplementation in the high-risk population at an early age.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1175-1181
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of green vegetable (kale) juice powder supple-mentation on lipid profiles, plasma homocysteine, folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ in rats fed cholesterol (Chol. ) or Chol. free diet. 7-week old male Sprague Dawley rats (n=40) were divided into 4 groups, and experimental diets containing control diet group (CO), control diet plus 0.5 wt$ \% $ Chol. (CC), control diet added with 5 wt$ \% $ kale (KO), control diet added with 5 wt$ \% $ kale plus 0.5 wt$ \% $ Chol. (KC) were fed for 8 wks. Plasma homocysteine level was examined by amino acid analyzer and serum folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ level were measured by com-petitive radioimmunoassay methods. In various serum lipid profiles, TG level was lower in kale juice powder groups (KO, KC) compared to the corresponding groups (CO, CC) (p<0.001). In Chol. supplemented groups (CC, KC), HDL-Chol. level was lower (p<0.001) and LDL-Chol. level was higher (p<0.05) than Chol. free diet. HDL-Chol. level was higer (p<0.05) in kale juice powder groups. HDL/LDL ratio was lower in Chol. supplemented groups (CC, KC) and tended to be higher in kale juice powder groups (KO, KC) Serum folate and vitamin $B_{12}$ levels were not affected by dietary Chol. and kale juice powder supplementation. Plasma homocysteine level was not affected by dietary Chol. and kale juice powder supplementation, too. Serum folate level was positively correlated with serum vitamin $B_{12}$ level (r=0.5632, p<0.001), but plasma homocysteine level was not significantly correlated with any serum folate, vitamin $B_{12}$ and Chol. levels, respectively. In summary, kale juice powder supplementation have improved serum lipid profiles by increasing the HDL level and decreasing the TG level and have not altered homocysteine level under the sufficient supply of folate and vitamin B complex relating with the homocysteine metabolism.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.22 no.2 s.57
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• pp.165-170
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• 2007

Elevation of homocysteine levels is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and liver diseases. It has been reported that both streptozotocin-induced type I diabetic rats and obese type II diabetic rats have plasma total homocysteine lower than each control rats. We determined the effects of lean type II diabetes on homocysteine levels using type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats. The concentrations of serum glucose were increased to ${\sim}two-fold$ of control levels and the total cholesterol levels were also increased in GK rats. Hepatic aspartate, histidine, threonine, alanine and methionine levels were significantly increased in GK rats. Plasma aspartate and glutamate levels were elevated, but threonine and arginine levels were decreased in GK rats. Plasma total homocysteine levels were not changed in GK rats, but hepatic total homocysteine levels were increased to ${\sim}three-fold$ of control levels. These results suggest that hepatic metabolism of sulfur-amino acid may be altered in diabetic condition.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.107-118
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• 2009

In patients with type 2 diabetes, oxidative stress could be increased by their metabolic changes. Elevated plasma homocysteine is considered as one of markers of enhanced oxidative stress. Due to oxidative stress, some complications like cardiovascular or renal diseases may develop in type 2 diabetes patients. Plasma homocysteine concentration may be increased if folate status were inadequate. Protective effects against oxidative stress may be diminished if the status of anti-oxidative nutrient as vitamin C was poor. It is, therefore, important to maintain adequate status of folate and vitamin C in type 2 diabetes patients. Thus, this study was performed to determine the effects of supplementation of folate and/or ascorbate on blood glycated hemoglobin ($HbA_{1c}$) level, serum concentrations of homocysteine and cholesterol, plasma oxidized low density-lipoprotein (LDL), concentration and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 92 type 2 diabetes patients participated voluntarily with written consents. They were divided into one of the four experimental groups; Control (C), Folate-supplemented (F), Ascorbate-supplemented (A), and Folate plus ascorbate-supplemented (FA). The subjects in C were taken placebo, those in F were supplemented 1 mg of folate, those in A received 1,000 mg of ascorbate, and those in FA were given 1 mg of folate plus 1,000 mg of ascorbate daily for 4 weeks. Supplementation of folate or ascorbate resulted to increase serum folate level or plasma ascorbate concentration apparently, respectively. Folate supplementation not ascorbate seemed to decrease plasma concentrations of homocysteine and oxidized LDL and reduce plasma GSH-Px activity. There might not be synergic effect of the supplementation of folate plus ascorbate. The results indicate that oxidative stress in the patients with type 2 diabetes may lower mainly by folate supplementation.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.141-150
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the Korean Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) education program on oxidative stress, antioxidant capacity, and serum homocysteine (Hcy) level in elderly Korean women. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study employing non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The DASH group (n= 27) underwent the DASH education program for 12 weeks, whereas the control group (n= 21) was provided one education session. The survey was conducted before and after the intervention period. Results: In DASH group, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intakes significantly increased after the intervention as compared to prior to the intervention. No significant differences were found in the control group. After the intervention, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) and Hcy levels significantly decreased in the DASH group but not in the control group. Conclusion: The DASH education program was effective in reducing oxidative stress and Hcy levels in elderly Korean women.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.47.1-47.12
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• 2020

Background: Homocysteine (HCY) was evaluated in healthy and chronic enteropathic dogs, however no studies on dogs with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy are available. Objectives: The aim was to evaluate serum HCY concentrations and its prognostic role in dogs with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy compared to healthy dogs. Methods: Serum HCY concentration was statistically compared between 24 healthy dogs and 29 dogs with immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy. Correlation analyses between serum total protein, albumin (ALB), C-reactive protein (CRP), folate and cobalamin, and serum HCY concentration were performed in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathic dogs. Results: The associations between serum HCY concentration and clinical, histological, endoscopic scores and follow-up were evaluated. Mean serum HCY concentration was higher in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathic dogs compared to control dogs (30.22 ± 8.67 µmol/L vs. 5.26 ± 2.78 µmol/L; p < 0.0001). No association between serum HCY concentration and total protein, ALB, CRP, folate concentration as well as, clinical score, histological and endoscopic scores was found. A negative correlation between serum HCY concentration and cobalamin was noted (p = 0.0025, r = -0.54). No significant difference in HCY was found between responsive and non-responsive dogs or between survivors and non-survivors. Conclusions: Although, serum HCY concentration was higher in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathy, its prognostic value remains unclear. However, further prospective, large-scale studies are warranted to better investigate the possible prognostic role of HCY in immunosuppressant-responsive enteropathic dogs.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.331-338
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• 2004

Folate nutrition in early pregnancy is crucial in order to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in the fetus and maternal folate deficiency in late pregnancy If the influencing factors on maternal folate status are identified we may be able to detect the women at most risk of folate deficiency. This study intends to determine folate intakes, assess the levels of serum folate, erythrocyte folate, and plasma homocysteine, and reveal theinfluencing factors on maternal folate status in early pregnancy. A total of 151 healthy women in their first trimester volunteered for this study. The average length of gestation period was 9.1$\pm$ 2.3 weeks and seventy subjects were primipara. They consumed 1599$\pm$589 ㎉/day of energy and 230.8$\pm$145.2 $\mu\textrm{g}$/day of folate. This represented 72.5％ and 46.2％ of the Korean RDA respectively for pregnant women in the first half of Pregnancy. Results show that they consume less folate and energy due to morning sickness. Morning sickness correlated negatively with the intakes of energy, folate, ana Kimchi also. Their levels of serum folate, erythrocyte folate, and plasma homocysteine were 5.5$\pm$1.9 ng/mL, 266.6$\pm$75.0 ng/mL, and 7.0$\pm$1.8 $\mu$mol/L, respectively. Results indicate that 7.8% were deficient and 60.3% were borderline deficient in serum folate, 4.3% were deficient in erythrocyte folate, however, all had normal levels of plasma homocysteine. Results indicate that the folate status was not poor Contributing factors influencing serum folate concentrations ($R^2$= 0.724, p = 0.0001) were self-reported health status (+), folate intake (+), age (-), length of gestation (-), and homocysteine levels (-). Factors influencing erythrocyte folate concentrations ($R^2$ = 0.570, p = 0.0029) were the infant birth height of the last pregnancy (+), energy intake (+), age (-), plasma homocysteine concentration (-), and education level (-). Factors influencing plasma homocysteine concentrations ($R^2$= 0.450, p = 0.0051) were income level (+), prepregnancy weight (+), serum folate concentration (-), and the infant birth weight of the last pregnancy (-). These results indicate that pregnant women are likely to have a folate deficiency if they are in poor health status, having a history of delivering small infant and low energy and/or folate intake, and/or are older. And folate status is likely to decline as pregnancy progresses.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.501-510
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• 2010

This study was conducted to assess blood components caused by metabolic syndrome increasing in postmenopausal elderly women. The blood samples of these subjects were analyzed to investigate the correlation of plasma taurine levels and plasma homocysteine levels, and serum lipid profiles. The subjects were 33 elderly women($72.8{\pm}4.4$ years). Their mean height, weight and BMI were $150.5{\pm}5.7\;cm$, $57.5{\pm}6.3\;kg$ and $25.4{\pm}2.5\;kg/m^2$. 16 women of this study subjects have been chronic diseases such as hypertension or diabetes. Their fasting blood glucose was $98.2{\pm}24.0\;mg/d{\ell}$, and their plasma total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C, LDL-C, triglyceride(TG) were $216.5{\pm}29.9$, $52.1{\pm}10.7$, $145.7{\pm}27.9$ and $141.2{\pm}59.6\;mg/d{\ell}$, respectively. Their blood lipid profiles were higher than the standard levels of metabolic syndrome, thus these levels of lipid profiles may play a role as risk factors on the elderly person. Plasma taurine level of the subjects was $278.5{\pm}48.1\;{\mu}mol/{\ell}$, and their plasma homocysteine level was $12.8{\pm}2.9\;{\mu}mol/{\ell}$. The concentration of plasma vitamin $B_{12}$ was significantly decreased by aging(p<0.05). The correlation of plasma homocysteine and plasma folate showed significantly negative(p<0.05). Thus, the decreased levels of plasma vitamin $B_{12}$ and folate by aging might affect on the plasma homocyteine concentration acting as a risk factor of cardiovascular diseases for elderly person. The correlation of plasma taurine and hemoglobin, and their platelet showed significantly positive(p<0.05). In conclusion, the diet on the elderly person is one of the important factors to prevent their health from chronic diseases. This study recommends that well balanced diets are needed for elderly person to keep their health and prevent from metabolic syndrome.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1707-1711
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of ethanol extract from Lycii folium (L. folium) leaves on obesity index, serum lipids, homocysteine, leptin, ghrelin, and glucose in obese rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were administrated high-fat diets to induce obesity. Then, obese rats were divided into three diet groups: a basal-diet obese group (BO group), high-fat diet obese group (FO group), and high-fat diet plus L. folium extract obese group (FLEO group). Three groups were each fed experimental diet for 8 weeks. There were no significant differences in body weight and FER among the groups. However, obesity index such as Ro？hrer index, Lee index, and T.M. index of FLEO group was significantly decreased as compared to FO group. While serum triglyceride of BO group was significantly decreased as compared to FO group, there were no significant differences in serum lipids, homocysteine, leptin, ghrelin and glucose between FLEO group and FO group. In conclusion, these results indicated that ethanol extract from L. folium leaves might be beneficial with anti-obese effect by reduction of obesity indices in obese rats.