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Effects of Chios mastic gum and exercise on physical characteristics, blood lipid markers, insulin resistance, and hepatic function in healthy Japanese men

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Abstract

The effects of Chios mastic gum (Pistacia lentiscus var. Chia) and exercise on physical characteristics, blood lipid markers, insulin resistance, and hepatic function were investigated in healthy, non-smoking Japanese men aged ≥ 40 years. Participants were allocated to control (C, 5 g/day placebo powder, n = 7), mastic (M, 5 g/day mastic powder, n = 7), or mastic plus physical activity groups (M + PA, 5 g/day mastic powder and 30-min exercise three times/week, n = 7), and measurements were taken at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Serum triglycerides were significantly reduced at 3 months in M and M + PA compared with C (P < 0.05). Serum insulin and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance values were significantly reduced at 3 and 6 months in M + PA, and at 6 months in M, compared with C (P < 0.05). These results indicate that Chios mastic gum intake for 6 months reduced serum triglyceride and insulin concentrations, and additional exercise enhanced the effect on insulin.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the General Manager of the Greek-Japanese Chamber of Commerce in Athens, Ms. Katerina Katopis, for initiating this study. We also thank the Chios Mastic Growers Association in Greece, particularly its President Mr. George Toumpos, for providing moral support for this study, and the following people for their role in supporting academic and cultural exchange between Japan and Greece: Ambassador of Greece to Japan, Ambassador Loukas Karatsolis; the former Ambassador of Greece to Japan, Ambassador Nikolaos Tsamados; the Counsellor of the Greek Embassy in Tokyo, Mr. Dionyssios Protopapas; the Ambassador of Japan to Greece, Ambassador Masuo Nishibayashi; and the former Ambassador of Japan to Greece, Ambassador Hiroshi Toda. The authors received no financial or material support for this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Waseda Institute for Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan

    Tomoko Fukazawa

  2. The Chios Gum Mastic Growers Association, 1, K. Monomaxhou St., 82100, Chios, Greece

    Ilias Smyrnioudis

  3. Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan

    Masayuki Konishi & Shizuo Sakamoto

  4. Organization for University Research Initiatives, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 162-8480, Japan

    Masaki Takahashi & Hyeon Ki Kim

  5. Japan Institute of Sports Sciences, 3-5-1 Nishigaoaka, Kita, Tokyo, 115-0056, Japan

    Mio Nishimaki

  6. Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, 1-21-1 Toyama, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 162-8655, Japan

    Mi Xiang

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  1. Tomoko Fukazawa
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  2. Ilias Smyrnioudis
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  3. Masayuki Konishi
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Correspondence to Tomoko Fukazawa.

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Fukazawa, T., Smyrnioudis, I., Konishi, M. et al. Effects of Chios mastic gum and exercise on physical characteristics, blood lipid markers, insulin resistance, and hepatic function in healthy Japanese men. Food Sci Biotechnol 27, 773–780 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-018-0307-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-018-0307-3

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