Review

Nuts for Physical Health and Fitness: A Review

  • Received: 18 August 2017 Accepted: 08 November 2017 Published: 23 November 2017
  • Nuts are rich in various nutrients. Recent evidence suggests that nut consumption has beneficial effects on blood pressure, lipid profile, obesity, inflammation, and oxidative stress, which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have shown that nut consumption improves body composition without causing weight gain, despite total energy intake increases. However, evidence regarding nut consumption and physical fitness is limited. The aim of this mini review is to summarize the evidence regarding effects of nuts on physical health, fitness, and exercise performance. Almond supplementation improves exercise performance, but pistachio supplementation does not. The effect of nuts on exercise performance was controversial. On the other hand, unsaturated fatty acid-enriched nuts had a beneficial effect on skeletal muscle mass and oxygen consumption. A diet enriched with nuts also improved physical fitness, which was enhanced by exercise. Although the characteristics of the study participants and the interventions used in the studies are heterogeneous, nuts have a potential to improve physical fitness. However, further studies are required to reveal the effects of nuts on physical fitness, exercise performance, and endurance capacity.

    Citation: Hidetaka Hamasaki, Yasuteru Hamasaki. Nuts for Physical Health and Fitness: A Review[J]. AIMS Medical Science, 2017, 4(4): 441-455. doi: 10.3934/medsci.2017.4.441

    Related Papers:

  • Nuts are rich in various nutrients. Recent evidence suggests that nut consumption has beneficial effects on blood pressure, lipid profile, obesity, inflammation, and oxidative stress, which reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have shown that nut consumption improves body composition without causing weight gain, despite total energy intake increases. However, evidence regarding nut consumption and physical fitness is limited. The aim of this mini review is to summarize the evidence regarding effects of nuts on physical health, fitness, and exercise performance. Almond supplementation improves exercise performance, but pistachio supplementation does not. The effect of nuts on exercise performance was controversial. On the other hand, unsaturated fatty acid-enriched nuts had a beneficial effect on skeletal muscle mass and oxygen consumption. A diet enriched with nuts also improved physical fitness, which was enhanced by exercise. Although the characteristics of the study participants and the interventions used in the studies are heterogeneous, nuts have a potential to improve physical fitness. However, further studies are required to reveal the effects of nuts on physical fitness, exercise performance, and endurance capacity.


    加载中
    [1] Ros E (2010) Health benefits of nut consumption. Nutrients 2: 652-682. doi: 10.3390/nu2070652
    [2] O'Neil CE, Keast DR, Fulgoni VL III, et al. (2010) Tree nut consumption improves nutrient intake and diet quality in US adults: an analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr 19: 142-150.
    [3] O'Neil CE, Nicklas TA, Fulgoni VL III (2015) Tree nut consumption is associated with better nutrient adequacy and diet quality in adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2010. Nutrients 7: 595-607. doi: 10.3390/nu7010595
    [4] Mukuddem-Petersen J, Oosthuizen W, Jerling JC (2005) A systematic review of the effects of nuts on blood lipid profiles in humans. J Nutr 135: 2082-2089.
    [5] Ros E, Mataix J (2006) Fatty acid composition of nuts--implications for cardiovascular health. Br J Nutr 96: S29-S35. doi: 10.1017/BJN20061861
    [6] Ros E (2015) Nuts and CVD. Br J Nutr 113: S111-S120. doi: 10.1017/S0007114514003924
    [7] Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J, et al; PREDIMED Study Investigators. (2013) Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet. N Engl J Med 368: 1279-1290. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1200303
    [8] Estruch R, Martínez-González MA, Corella D, et al; PREDIMED Study Investigators. (2016) Effect of a high-fat Mediterranean diet on bodyweight and waist circumference: a prespecified secondary outcomes analysis of the PREDIMED randomised controlled trial. Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol 4: 666-676. doi: 10.1016/S2213-8587(16)30085-7
    [9] Hernáez Á, Castañer O, Elosua R, et al. (2017) Mediterranean Diet Improves High-Density Lipoprotein Function in High-Cardiovascular-Risk Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Circulation 135: 633-643. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.116.023712
    [10] Casas R, Sacanella E, Urpí-Sardà M, et al. (2016) Long-Term Immunomodulatory Effects of a Mediterranean Diet in Adults at High Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Randomized Controlled Trial. J Nutr 146: 1684-1693. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.229476
    [11] Macaluso F, Barone R, Catanese P, et al. (2013) Do fat supplements increase physical performance? Nutrients 5: 509-524. doi: 10.3390/nu5020509
    [12] Jeromson S, Gallagher IJ, Galloway SD, et al. (2015) Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Skeletal Muscle Health. Mar Drugs 13: 6977-7004. doi: 10.3390/md13116977
    [13] Maguire LS, O'Sullivan SM, Galvin K, et al. (2004) Fatty acid profile, tocopherol, squalene and phytosterol content of walnuts, almonds, peanuts, hazelnuts and the macadamia nut. Int J Food Sci Nutr 55: 171-178. doi: 10.1080/09637480410001725175
    [14] Ryan E, Galvin K, O'Connor TP, et al. (2006) Fatty acid profile, tocopherol, squalene and phytosterol content of brazil, pecan, pine, pistachio and cashew nuts. Int J Food Sci Nutr 57: 219-228. doi: 10.1080/09637480600768077
    [15] Curb JD, Wergowske G, Dobbs JC, et al. (2000) Serum lipid effects of a high-monounsaturated fat diet based on macadamia nuts. Arch Intern Med 160: 1154-1158. doi: 10.1001/archinte.160.8.1154
    [16] O'Byrne DJ, Knauft DA, Shireman RB (1997)nLow fat-monounsaturated rich diets containing high-oleic peanuts improve serum lipoprotein profiles. Lipids 32: 687-695.
    [17] Rajaram S, Burke K, Connell B, et al. (2001) A monounsaturated fatty acid-rich pecan-enriched diet favorably alters the serum lipid profile of healthy men and women. J Nutr 131: 2275-2279.
    [18] Sabaté J, Fraser GE, Burke K, et al. (1993) Effects of walnuts on serum lipid levels and blood pressure in normal men. N Engl J Med 328: 603-607. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199303043280902
    [19] Zambón D, Sabaté J, Muñoz S, et al. (2000) Substituting walnuts for monounsaturated fat improves the serum lipid profile of hypercholesterolemic men and women. A randomized crossover trial. Ann Intern Med 132: 538-546.
    [20] Nieman DC, Scherr J, Luo B, et al. (2014) Influence of pistachios on performance and exercise-induced inflammation, oxidative stress, immune dysfunction, and metabolite shifts in cyclists: a randomized, crossover trial. PLoS One 9: e113725. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113725
    [21] Flores-Mateo G, Rojas-Rueda D, Basora J, et al. (2013) Nut intake and adiposity: meta-analysis of clinical trials. Am J Clin Nutr 97: 1346-1355. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.111.031484
    [22] Musa-Veloso K, Paulionis L, Poon T, et al. (2016) The effects of almond consumption on fasting blood lipid levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. J Nutr Sci 5: e34. doi: 10.1017/jns.2016.19
    [23] Del Gobbo LC, Falk MC, Feldman R, et al. (2015) Effects of tree nuts on blood lipids, apolipoproteins, and blood pressure: systematic review, meta-analysis, and dose-response of 61 controlled intervention trials. Am J Clin Nutr 102: 1347-1356. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.115.110965
    [24] Banel DK, Hu FB (2009) Effects of walnut consumption on blood lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors: a meta-analysis and systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr 90: 56-63. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2009.27457
    [25] Mohammadifard N, Salehi-Abargouei A, Salas-Salvadó J, et al. (2015) The effect of tree nut, peanut, and soy nut consumption on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials. Am J Clin Nutr 101: 966-982. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.091595
    [26] Mayhew AJ, de Souza RJ, Meyre D, et al. (2016) A systematic review and meta-analysis of nut consumption and incident risk of CVD and all-cause mortality. Br J Nutr 115: 212-225. doi: 10.1017/S0007114515004316
    [27] Zelber-Sagi S, Salomone F, Mlynarsky L (2017) The Mediterranean dietary pattern as the diet of choice for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Evidence and plausible mechanisms. Liver Int 37: 936-949. doi: 10.1111/liv.13435
    [28] Luo T, Miranda-Garcia O, Adamson A, et al. (2016) Consumption of Walnuts in Combination with Other Whole Foods Produces Physiologic, Metabolic, and Gene Expression Changes in Obese C57BL/6J High-Fat-Fed Male Mice. J Nutr 146: 1641-1650. doi: 10.3945/jn.116.234419
    [29] Mazokopakis EE, Liontiris MI (2017) Commentary: Health Concerns of Brazil Nut Consumption. J Altern Complement Med in press.
    [30] Stiefel G, Anagnostou K, Boyle RJ, et al. (2017) BSACI guideline for the diagnosis and management of peanut and tree nut allergy. Clin Exp Allergy 47: 719-739. doi: 10.1111/cea.12957
    [31] Tey SL, Robinson T, Gray AR, et al. (2017) Do dry roasting, lightly salting nuts affect their cardioprotective properties and acceptability? Eur J Nutr 56: 1025-1036. doi: 10.1007/s00394-015-1150-4
    [32] Schlörmann W, Birringer M, Böhm V, et al. (2015) Influence of roasting conditions on health-related compounds in different nuts. Food Chem 180: 77-85. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2015.02.017
    [33] Masthoff LJ, Hoff R, Verhoeckx KC, et al. (2013) A systematic review of the effect of thermal processing on the allergenicity of tree nuts. Allergy 68: 983-993. doi: 10.1111/all.12185
    [34] Hamasaki H (2017) Exercise and gut microbiota: clinical implications for the feasibility of Tai Chi. J Integr Med 15: 270-281. doi: 10.1016/S2095-4964(17)60342-X
    [35] Yi M, Fu J, Zhou L, et al. (2014) The effect of almond consumption on elements of endurance exercise performance in trained athletes. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 11: 18. doi: 10.1186/1550-2783-11-18
    [36] Vedtofte MS, Jakobsen MU, Lauritzen L, et al. (2014) Association between the intake of α-linolenic acid and the risk of CHD. Br J Nutr 112: 735-743. doi: 10.1017/S000711451400138X
    [37] Schwingshackl L, Hoffmann G (2014) Monounsaturated fatty acids, olive oil and health status: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Lipids Health Dis 13: 154. doi: 10.1186/1476-511X-13-154
    [38] Cornish SM, Chilibeck PD (2009) Alpha-linolenic acid supplementation and resistance training in older adults. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 34: 49-59. doi: 10.1139/H08-136
    [39] Poulsen RC, Kruger MC (2006) Detrimental effect of eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation on bone following ovariectomy in rats. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 75: 419-427. doi: 10.1016/j.plefa.2006.08.003
    [40] Børsheim E, Kien CL, Pearl WM (2006) Differential effects of dietary intake of palmitic acid and oleic acid on oxygen consumption during and after exercise. Metabolism 55: 1215-1221. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2006.05.005
    [41] Henique C, Mansouri A, Fumey G, et al. (2010) Increased mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation is sufficient to protect skeletal muscle cells from palmitate-induced apoptosis. J Biol Chem 285: 36818-3627. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M110.170431
    [42] Mente A, de Koning L, Shannon HS, et al. (2009) A systematic review of the evidence supporting a causal link between dietary factors and coronary heart disease. Arch Intern Med 169: 659-669. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2009.38
    [43] Myles IA (2014) Fast food fever: reviewing the impacts of the Western diet on immunity. Nutr J 13: 61. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-13-61
    [44] Francis H, Stevenson R (2013) The longer-term impacts of Western diet on human cognition and the brain. Appetite 63: 119-128. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2012.12.018
    [45] Deer J, Koska J, Ozias M, et al. (2015) Dietary models of insulin resistance. Metabolism 64: 163-171. doi: 10.1016/j.metabol.2014.08.013
    [46] Otten J, Stomby A, Waling M, et al. (2017) Benefits of a Paleolithic diet with and without supervised exercise on fat mass, insulin sensitivity, and glycemic control: a randomized controlled trial in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 33.
    [47] O'Keefe JH, Gheewala NM, O'Keefe JO (2008) Dietary strategies for improving post-prandial glucose, lipids, inflammation, and cardiovascular health. J Am Coll Cardiol 51: 249-255. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2007.10.016
    [48] Villareal DT, Aguirre L, Gurney AB, et al. (2017) Aerobic or Resistance Exercise, or Both, in Dieting Obese Older Adults. N Engl J Med 376: 1943-1955. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa1616338
    [49] Welch AA, MacGrego AJ, Minihane AM, et al. (2014) Dietary fat and fatty acid profile are associated with indices of skeletal muscle mass in women aged 18-79 years. J Nutr 144: 327-334. doi: 10.3945/jn.113.185256
    [50] Mickleborough TD (2013) Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in physical performance optimization. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 23: 83-96. doi: 10.1123/ijsnem.23.1.83
    [51] Aguilaniu B, Flore P, Perrault H, et al. (1995) Exercise-induced hypoxaemia in master athletes: effects of a polyunsaturated fatty acid diet. Eur J Appl Phytsiol Occup Physiol 72: 44-50. doi: 10.1007/BF00964113
    [52] Sureda A, Bibiloni MD, Martorell M, et al; PREDIMED Study Investigators. (2016) Mediterranean diets supplemented with virgin olive oil and nuts enhance plasmatic antioxidant capabilities and decrease xanthine oxidase activity in people with metabolic syndrome: The PREDIMED study. Mol Nutr Food Res 60: 2654-2664. doi: 10.1002/mnfr.201600450
    [53] Domínguez-Avila JA, Alvarez-Parrilla E, López-Díaz JA, et al. (2015) The pecan nut (Carya illinoinensis) and its oil and polyphenolic fractions differentially modulate lipid metabolism and the antioxidant enzyme activities in rats fed high-fat diets. Food Chem 168: 529-537. doi: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2014.07.092
    [54] Carey AN, Fisher DR, Joseph JA, et al. (2013) The ability of walnut extract and fatty acids to protect against the deleterious effects of oxidative stress and inflammation in hippocampal cells. Nutr Neurosci 16: 13-20. doi: 10.1179/1476830512Y.0000000023
    [55] Willis LM, Shukitt-Hale B, Cheng V, et al. (2009) Dose-dependent effects of walnuts on motor and cognitive function in aged rats. Br J Nutr 101: 1140-1144. doi: 10.1017/S0007114508059369
    [56] Liu Z, Wang W, Huang G, et al. (2016) In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the prebiotic effect of raw and roasted almonds (Prunus amygdalus). J Sci Food Agric 96: 1836-1843. doi: 10.1002/jsfa.7604
    [57] Nagel JM, Brinkoetter M, Magkos F, et al. (2012) Dietary walnuts inhibit colorectal cancer growth in mice by suppressing angiogenesis. Nutrition 28: 67-75. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2011.03.004
  • Reader Comments
  • © 2017 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
  • 1. 

    沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

  1. 本站搜索
  2. 百度学术搜索
  3. 万方数据库搜索
  4. CNKI搜索

Metrics

Article views(4481) PDF downloads(1626) Cited by(3)

Article outline

Figures and Tables

Tables(3)

Other Articles By Authors

/

DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
Return
Return

Catalog