title: Immunomodulatory effects of kimchi in chinese healthy college students: a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: This study examined the potential immunomodulatory effects of Kimchi, a traditional fermented Korean vegetable, in healthy Chinese college students. The four-week clinical-trial (randomized, open-label, prospective, controlled) was followed by a one week wash-out period. Healthy Chinese college students (over 20 years of age with a body mass index of 18.5-23.0 kg/m(2)) volunteered for this study. Forty-three students were randomly classified into two groups, Kimchi (n = 21, supplemented with 100 g of Kimchi per day) or non-Kimchi (n = 22, supplemented with 100 g of radish per day, control) groups. During the four-week intervention period, students were asked to maintain their usual diet and activity, and instructed not to take any medications, functional food products, or dietary supplements. Anthropometrics, nutritional intake, and blood immune parameters (lymphocyte subsets, cytokines, and immunoglobulins) were measured before and after the four weeks of intervention. Thirty-nine students (19 in the Kimchi group, 20 in the non-Kimchi group) finished the study. After the intervention, no significant changes were observed in lymphocyte subsets (T-cell, B-cell, NK cell), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10), and immunoglobulins (Ig A, G, and M) between groups in either the Kimchi or non-Kimchi. These results suggest that the short-term consumption of Kimchi has no immunomodulatory effects in healthy Chinese college students.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Hansongyi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Korea. ; Research Institute of Medical Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Do Yeon
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: World Institute of Kimchi, Gwangju, 503-360, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Ae
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: World Institute of Kimchi, Gwangju, 503-360, Korea.
authors.forename: Ja-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Nutrition, Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, 446-701, Korea. ; Research Institute of Medical Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Ryowon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Choue
keywords: Chinese; Fermentation; Immunomodulation; Kimchi; Randomized Controlled Trial