GB2269746A

GB2269746A - Foodstuff additive

Info

Publication number: GB2269746A
Application number: GB9217892A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Garnett
Original assignee: Lovesgrove Research Ltd
Current assignee: Lovesgrove Research Ltd
Priority date: 1992-08-22
Filing date: 1992-08-22
Publication date: 1994-02-23
Also published as: GB9217892D0

Abstract

A foodstuff additive contains as active ingredient proadifen and/or lysolecithin which on administration is incorporated into stomach cell membranes to increase the porosity of the membrane. This said increase has the effect of increasing the nutrient absorption into the blood supply and is of particular use to body builders and athletes for the purposes of weight gain and of altering the ratio in the body of fat to muscle. The additive can also enhance the yield of milk when taken by lactating women.

Description

A NEW HUMAN WEIGHT GAIN FOOD SUPPLEMENT 1. The present invention is concerned with weight gain food supplements.

2. We have now developed a new weight gain supplement which has growth promoting properties when fed to men and women and can be taken before mealtimes.

3. According to the present invention, tablets, capsules or other formulations contain a minor amount of the active ingredient, proadifen and/or lysolecithin, which ingredient on introduction into the stomach of a human can be incorporated into the stomach cell membrane so as to increase the porosity of said membrane.

4. Typically the weight gain food supplement additive is in the form of powder incorporated into capsules or tablets or dissolved in water and/or taken as a health drink.

5. The active ingredient is preferably in substantially pure form and mixed with a carrier for ease of handling.

6. The active ingredient is preferably included in the diet at a level of about 1 to 100mg/kg of the diet. The quantity of ingredient present in the food largely depends on the nature of the actual foodstuff used. The additive may be combined with an inert carrier (such as silica talc) so as to facilitate handling thereof.

7. The ingredient is particularly useful as a weight gain additive ( as it allows an increase in the uptake of nutrients including essential amino acids and proteins) due to its effect on the membranes and on the cells that constitute the lining of the stomach itself. The ingredient does not substantially affect active transport of the above mentioned nutrients but simply increases passive flux of molecules of a given size across treated membranes.

8. In earlier studies it has been shown that proadifen impacts the cell metabolism particularly behaving as a microsomal inhibitor. However, the use of proadifen to manipulate the hole size distribution of a membrane in humans is novel. Preferably the active ingredient comprises either the chemical agent known lysolecithin or 2 - diethylanimoethyl 2, 2 diphenylvalerate (Proadifen).

9. On ingestion the active ingredient comes into contact with the cells that make up the lining of the alimentary tract. The ingredient readily substitutes into the cells plasma membranes and in doing so displaces calcium ions from the phospholipid matrix. The calcium ions normally serve to reinforce the inter polar head attractions which stabilise the phospholipid envelope and substitution thereof by the active ingredient causes the phospholipid matrix to expand.

10. At equilibrium, the existing pores or holes in the membranes which constitute the hole size distribution favour flux of molecules of certain sizes. Addition of the active ingredient affects the hole size distribution and consequently the preferential rate of absorption of small and/or large molecules. For example, to encourage the passage of long chain lipids into the blood, the hole size distribution must be altered in favour of fewer but larger holes. The dose response to the additive is biphasic in vitro but generally, at higher doses the additive causes a change in the hole size distribution of the membrane (i.e. a change in the number and size of the pores which occur in all membranes at temperatures above absolute zero).At higher doses, this expansion can become critical to the viability of the cell due to increased ion efflux from the cell through the treated membrane which following the application of the additive will have a low permeability coefficient. This change is often accompanied by swelling of the cell through influx of osmotically or actively obliged water. Cells with this level of exposure to the additive may irreversibly swell and lyse releasing the cell content into the human gut.

However, at lower doses of the additive, membrane expansion of the stomach cells which will cause symptomatic changes in the digestion process.

11. There is further provided by the present invention a method of improving the yield and quality of milk produced by lactating women which method comprises providing said individuals with a feed supplement as hereinbefore described such that the active ingredient can be introduced into stomach of said individual, whereby the ingredient substantially promotes the uptake of at least proteins amino acids, glucose and fatty acid molecules having a carbon chain of less than 12 carbon atoms from the alimentary tract of said individual, so as to effect an increased yield of milk produced by said individuals and wherein said milk comprises a substantially increased protein concentration and substantially increased fat content, compared to milk produced by said individuals prior to provision therewith of said ingredient.

At the doses envisaged for commercial use of the active ingredient the latter has a most important effect on the uptake of amino acids, sugars and proteins through the lining of the gut as a result of changes in the permeability of the membranes that are active in this process in the gut cells.

12. In addition, magnesium and vitamin extraction rates from the stomach and the other parts of the alimentary tract are improved substantially with low doses of the active ingredient.

13. The ingredient can also be used in conjunction with other known orally taken growth promoters in order to increase the efficiency of these promoters and also (in some embodiments) to lower the dosage of growth promoter administered.

14 The active ingredient can also be used, after experimentation to find the optimum dose for the individual, to alter the ratio of body fat to body muscle or other tissues as required given a particular dietry intake.

Claims

1. A human foodstuff additive containing a minor amount of active ingredient comprising at least one proadifen and/or lysolecithin component, which ingredient on introduction into the stomach of an individual can be incorporated into the stomach cell membrane so as to increase the porosity of said membrane.

2. A foodstuff additive according to claim 1, wherein the active ingredient comprises one or more isomers of proadifen and/or lysolecithin.

3. A human foodstuff additive according to any of claims 1 and 2, wherein said additive is present in an amount of 1 to 100mg/kg of food.

4. A method of improving the yield and quality of milk produced by lactating women, which method comprises providing said individuals with a food according to any of claims 1 to 4, such that said active ingredient is introduced into the stomach of said individual so as to substantially promote the uptake of at least amino acids, glucose and fatty acid molecules having a carbon chain of less than 12 carbon atoms from the alimentary tract of said individual and to effect an increased yield of milk produced by said individuals and wherein said milk comprises a substantially increased protein concentration and substantially increased fat content, compared to milk produced by said individuals prior to provision therewith of said active ingredient.