title: The effect of consuming Palmaria palmata-enriched bread on inflammatory markers, antioxidant status, lipid profile and thyroid function in a randomised placebo-controlled intervention trial in healthy adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Palmaria palmata (P. Palmata) is reported to contain anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds albeit no study has investigated these effects in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised parallel placebo-controlled human intervention study was carried out to investigate the effect of consuming P. Palmata (5 g/day) incorporated into a bread on serum markers of inflammation [C-reactive protein (CRP); cytokine analysis] with secondary analysis investigating changes in lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides), thyroid function [thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)] and antioxidant status ferric reducing antioxidant power. ANCOVA with baseline values as covariates, controlling for age, BMI, sex and smoking status, was used to compare differences between treatment groups over time . In vitro studies investigated the inflammatory activity of P. Palmata extracts (hot water, cold water and ethanol extract), protein extracts and associated protein hydrolysates using a Caco-2 inflammation cell model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Consumption of P. Palmata-enriched bread significantly increased serum CRP (+16.1 %, P = 0.011), triglycerides (+31.9 %, P = 0.001) and TSH (+17.2 %, P = 0.017) when compared to the control group. In vitro evaluation of P. palmata extracts and protein hydrolysates identified a significant induction of IL-8 secretion by Caco-2 cells, and the hot water P. palmata extract was shown to increase adipocyte glycerol release (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Evidence from this human study suggests that P. palmata stimulates inflammation, increases serum triglycerides and alters thyroid function; however, these changes are not likely to impact health as changes remained within the normal clinical range. The data from the in vitro study provided indications that IL-8 may contribute to the apparent immunostimulation noted in the human study.
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK. pj.allsopp@ulster.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allsopp
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Crowe
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, Institute of Food & Health, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: Bojlul
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bahar
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
authors.forename: Pádraigín A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Harnedy
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Emma S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Sonja S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, School of Science, Institute of Technology Sligo, Sligo, Ireland.
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Smyth
authors.affiliation: Irish Seaweed Research Group, Ryan Institute, Environmental Marine and Energy Research, National University of Ireland, Galway, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soler-Vila
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Magee
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Chris I R
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Conall R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Strain
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Vicky
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hegan
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Ulster, Belfast, BT15 1ED, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devaney
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Julie M W
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cherry
authors.affiliation: Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, University of Ulster, Belfast, BT15 1ED, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: FitzGerald
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Strain
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, Institute of Food & Health, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: John V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: O'Doherty
authors.affiliation: Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Ulster, Cromore Road, Coleraine, BT52 1SA, Northern Ireland, UK.
authors.forename: Emeir M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: McSorley
mesh_terms: D041721:3T3-L1 Cells; D017667:Adipocytes; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001939:Bread / Q000032:analysis*; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D004032:Diet; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000737:chemistry*; D012624:Seaweed / Q000737:chemistry; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007378:Interleukins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010940:Plant Proteins; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Human intervention; Inflammation; Lipid; Palmaria palmata; Seaweed