Proof of concept study of a highly novel food fortification to boost exercise performance in younger and older adults

我们体内每个细胞的一个重要功能就是新陈代谢的过程。为了让我们的细胞和身体发挥作用，它们需要接触到一种叫做三磷酸腺苷(ATP)的能量输送分子。可悲的是，随着我们年龄的增长，身体产生足够的三磷酸腺苷的能力下降，我们的身心健康也随之下降。抵消这种下降的一种方法是开发有效的食物补充剂来维持细胞新陈代谢(即我们细胞获得能量的途径)。我们正在开发一种名为Mitocholine(Tm)的食物补充剂，这种补充剂包括三种天然化合物，当口服时，细胞可以获得这些化合物，以保持它们的能量和功能。Mitocholine(Tm)有可能帮助我们大脑中的细胞更有效地运作。米托胆碱研究小组目前正在老年人身上测试这种补充剂，看看它是否有助于改善他们的大脑工作方式，减少记忆丧失问题。这项研究尚未完成，但早期结果显示，对老年人的大脑健康有潜在的积极益处。米托胆碱现在有可能开发出一种米托胆碱(Tm)的变体，适合作为一种补充剂加入食物中，以支持我们肌肉中的细胞，支持提高锻炼能力和提高体能水平。这一概念很重要，因为众所周知，西方饮食中补充的Mitocholine(Tm)关键成分含量较低。这种不足对孕妇来说尤其具有挑战性。米托胆碱(Tm)有潜力解决我们饮食中的这一不足，同时也有助于我们的身心健康。拟议项目的目的是了解含有米托胆碱(Tm)的食物添加剂是否会通过为我们的肌肉细胞提供额外的燃料来提高有氧健身和运动能力。这项拟议的研究将调查年轻人和老年人在服用Mitocholine(Tm)食品添加剂后与安慰剂相比如何有效地锻炼。米托胆碱将与埃克塞特大学的专业运动科学家密切合作，测试志愿者在服用食物补充剂后进行不同类型运动的能力。如果米托胆碱能够证明补充剂有效，它将能够确保补充剂在全球专业食品生产商的商业销售。

A vital function of every cell in our bodies is the process of metabolism. For our cells and bodies to function, they need access to an energy carrying molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Sadly as we age our body's ability to produce sufficient ATP declines and our physical and mental wellbeing declines in parallel. One way to offset this decline is to develop effective food supplements that maintain cell metabolism (i.e. our cells' access to energy).We are developing a food supplement called Mitocholine(tm), the supplement includes three natural compounds that, when taken orally, become available to the cells to keep them energised and functional.Mitocholine(tm) has the potential to help the cells in our brain function more effectively. The Mitocholine team is currently testing this supplement in older people to see if it helps improve how their brain works and reduce the memory loss issues. This study is not yet complete, but early results show a potential positive benefit to brain health in the elderly.Mitocholine now has the potential to develop a variant of Mitocholine(tm) that is suitable to put in foods as a supplement to support the cells in our muscles and support improved ability to exercise and boost physical energy levels. This concept is important because Western diets are known to be low in key components in the Mitocholine(tm) supplement. This insufficiency is particularly challenging for pregnant women. Mitocholine(tm) has the potential to address this deficiency in our diets while also supporting physical and mental wellbeing.The aim of the proposed project is to understand if a Mitocholine(tm) containing food additive, by providing additional fuel to our muscle cells, will enhance aerobic fitness and exercise performance. This proposed research will investigate how effectively young and older adults can exercise after taking Mitocholine(tm) food additive compared to a placebo. Mitocholine will work closely with expert sports scientists at the University of Exeter to test volunteers' capacity to perform different types of exercise after taking the food supplement.If Mitocholine is able to demonstrate that the supplement works, it will be able to secure commercial sales of the supplement to specialist food producers globally.