A combination of green tea extract and l -theanine (LGNC-07) has been reported to have beneficial effects on cognition in animal studies. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, the effect of LGNC-07 on memory and attention in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was investigated. Ninety-one MCI subjects whose Mini Mental State Examination-K (MMSE-K) scores were between 21 and 26 and who were in either stage 2 or 3 on the Global Deterioration Scale were enrolled in this study. The treatment group (13 men, 32 women; 57.58 ± 9.45 years) took 1,680 mg of LGNC-07, and the placebo group (12 men, 34 women; 56.28 ± 9.92 years) received an equivalent amount of maltodextrin and lactose for 16 weeks. Neuropsychological tests (Rey–Kim memory test and Stroop color–word test) and electroencephalography were conducted to evaluate the effect of LGNC-07 on memory and attention. Further analyses were stratified by baseline severity to evaluate treatment response on the degree of impairment (MMSE-K 21–23 and 24–26). LGNC-07 led to improvements in memory by marginally increasing delayed recognition in the Rey–Kim memory test ( P = .0572). Stratified analyses showed that LGNC-07 improved memory and selective attention by significantly increasing the Rey–Kim memory quotient and word reading in the subjects with MMSE-K scores of 21–23 (LGNC-07, n = 11; placebo, n = 9). Electroencephalograms were recorded in 24 randomly selected subjects hourly for 3 hours in eye-open, eye-closed, and reading states after a single dose of LGNC-07 (LGNC-07, n = 12; placebo, n = 12). Brain theta waves, an indicator of cognitive alertness, were increased significantly in the temporal, frontal, parietal, and occipital areas after 3 hours in the eye-open and reading states. Therefore, this study suggests that LGNC-07 has potential as an intervention for cognitive improvement.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) has been linked to one of the highest death rates globally. The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) may be an important predictor of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease, superior to the standard atherosclerotic lipid profile. This study investigated the relationship between AIP and obesity indices, blood glucose, lipid profile, and nutrient intake status in Korean adult men. The study included 1292 males aged ≥19 years old who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013–2014. Participants were divided into four groups according to AIP quartiles, calculated as log (triglyceride (TG)/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C)). Body mass index, waist circumference, fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, TG, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels increased as AIP levels increased, whereas HDL-C level declined. As the level of AIP increased, intake of saturated fatty acid, calcium, phosphorus, riboflavin, milk, and dairy product decreased significantly, and the contribution rate of milk and dairy products to fat intake decreased. AIP was linked to obesity indices, blood glucose, and blood lipid profile in Korean men, suggesting that it could predict CAD.

Vitamin D is important for maintaining bone health and may prevent various diseases (i.e., cardiovascular disease and cancer). The aim of this study was to estimate vitamin D intakes of Korean adults using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2009) data and a newly established vitamin D database. KNHANES (2009) participants (n = 4541; 2021 men; 2520 women) aged ≥20 years were included. Dietary vitamin D intake, serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), and the relationship between vitamin D intake and serum 25(OH)D were evaluated. In men and women, vitamin D intakes were 4.00 ± 0.17 µg/day and 2.6 ± 0.1 µg/day respectively, and serum 25(OH)D concentrations were 19.78 ± 0.33 ng/mL and 17.10 ± 0.26 ng/mL respectively. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations of men aged 20 years were under 20 ng/mL. After adjusting for confounding factors, the positive relationship between vitamin D intake and serum 25(OH)D was observed in total subjects (p < 0.05), excluding participants ≥50 years old. The main food sources for vitamin D among Korean adults were fish/shellfish (71.34%) and egg (14.89%). Korean adults should increase their serum 25(OH)D concentrations by increasing vitamin D intake.