The gut microbiota is implicated in diverse interactions affecting human health. The present study reports a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study conducted by administering a new synbiotic formulation composed of two Lactobacillus strains (L. plantarum and L. acidophilus) and one Bifidobacterium strain (B. animalis subsp. lactis) and two types of fructans (fructo-oligosaccharides with a degree of polymerization of 3–5 and inulin-type fructans with 10 DP). The effects of this synbiotic were evaluated on healthy subjects for 28 days and the maintenance of its efficacy was evaluated at the end of a follow-up period of 28 days. The synbiotic treatment contributes to higher biodiversity of the gut microbiota, increasing the community richness with respect to the group with the prebiotics alone and the placebo group. Its positive effect is also reflected in the variation of microbial community structure favoring the beneficial short-chain fatty acids bacterial producers. The amelioration of the health status of the subjects was also established by the reduction of common infectious disease symptom incidence, the stimulation of the gut immune system showing a noteworthy variation of fecal β-defensin2 and calprotectin levels, and the modulation of the response of the respiratory tract’s immune system by salivary IgA as well as total antioxidant capacity biomarkers.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has long been used for its anti-age properties, as an ingredient in both topical applications and food supplements. In this study, a novel sodium hyaluronate, based on the innovative full spectrum technology, was administered as an ingredient of a cosmetic product and as the main constituent of a food supplement to evaluate its efficacy in counteracting skin ageing signs. Seventy-five female subjects were randomly assigned to the following treatments for 4 weeks: an active food supplement and a placebo cosmetic product, an active cosmetic product and a placebo food supplement, and a combination of the two products containing the active ingredient, that is, an “In&Out” treatment. The subjects used the placebo cosmetic product for another 14 days. Improvement of all the outcome measures (skin moisturization, elasticity, firmness and profilometry) was achieved by all treatments (p < 0.05); however, the combined treatment resulted in a further amelioration of the skin aging signs with respect to the two single active treatments (p < 0.001), and such effect lasted also after the follow-up period. In conclusion, such results confirmed that the concomitant administration of hyaluronans by these two different routes represents more than an interesting approach to counteract skin aging signs.

Insulin resistance (IR) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are relevant concerns in the elderly population; as the world’s population ages, IR and CVD are two universal public health problems. While a link between IR a CVD has been established, the mediating mechanisms are uncertain and rigorous investigations are needed to fully elucidate them. The study aimed at assessing the relationship between epicardial fat (EF), an indicator of cardiovascular risk, and IR in Italian free-living elderly (n = 89). Baseline data from a previous cohort was used. Anthropometric measurements, EF, and IR-related variables, including the HOMA-IR index and other biochemical parameters were obtained. The correlation between EF and IR was explored. Further analysis was conducted to identify significant differences regarding IR variables among EF quartiles. EF correlated positively with glucose levels in females, males and the total population. The pairwise comparison among EF quartiles showed significant differences in glucose levels, HOMA-IR index, triglycerides, and total cholesterol levels. To our knowledge, this is the only study assessing the relationship between EF and IR in healthy elderly, while most of the studies have investigated EF and IR in diseased populations. Further research with a longitudinal approach should be conducted to design concrete conclusions about this relationship.

Background: Keratin hydrolysates are active components used in food supplements to alleviate aging signs on skin, hair, and nails. Aims: This randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study evaluates a novel keratin hydrolysate obtained from poultry feathers. This feather keratin hydrolysate (FKH) results in a characteristic mix of free L‐amino acids (≥ 83.5%). FKH was administered as a food supplement to a panel of adult women showing aging physiological signs. Methods: Participants were randomly assigned in three groups to receive daily dosages of 500 or 1000 mg of FKH or placebo for 90 days. Parameters of skin roughness, wrinkle features, deep skin moisturization, skin maximum elongation and elasticity, skin thickness, skin anisotropy, skin density, gloss of skin, hair and nails, and nail hardness were evaluated. Subjects also answered a questionnaire related to the treatment efficacy perception. Results: Both FKH treatments showed a significant improvement of all parameters compared to day 0 and to placebo, with an exception for fiber anisotropy and fiber density which showed a significant improvement compared to day 0 and a tendency to improve compared to placebo. These measurements were bolstered by the results of a self‐assessment questionnaire, showing an overall set of positive answers for both treatments compared to placebo. Conclusions: Oral supplementation of FKH for 90 days is associated with an improvement in the appearance of facial skin, hair, and nails. This study highlights the benefits of free L‐amino acids mix as potential aminobiotics and not just as building blocks of proteins, suggesting a new perspective of nutricosmetic food.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) content in the skin progressively decreases with age; thus, its supplementation—either topical, oral, and by subcutaneous injection—represents a first-line intervention to ameliorate skin aging signs. The present multicenter randomized placebo-controlled trial (RCT) evaluated the skin antiaging efficacy of an In&Out treatment, i.e., a concomitant topical, through a cosmetic cream, and the oral administration of specifically designed HAs, full-spectrum HAs (FS-HAs), in a multiethnic population using instrumental measurements and clinical assessments. The efficacy of FS-HAs was also evaluated in groups receiving FS-HA in a single administration route and in the presence of the placebo in the counterpart route. The above treatment scheme was applied for 56 days to 88 adult subjects, equally divided into four groups. Treatments containing at least one FS-HA molecule showed progressive and significant intragroup ameliorations of all the instrumental skin parameters evaluated. The In&Out treatment resulted in a greater improvement with respect to the two other active groups and in significant intergroup differences with respect to its placebo counterpart. FS-HA treatments resulted, as well, in the significant improvements of clinical parameters that correlated with the subjects’ appreciation recorded by a self-assessment, hence confirming that the In&Out administration of FS-HA represents an interesting approach to counteract skin aging signs.

Dietary interventions represent an interesting alternative to pharmacological treatments for improving the quality of life (QoL) of subjects suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a food supplement (FS) containing a probiotic strain, bioactive peptides, and vitamins in relieving heartburn/dyspeptic symptoms in subjects with mild-to-moderate GERD. Fifty-six adult participants were randomly assigned to receive the placebo or the active FS for 28 days. Subjects were asked to record daily the frequency and intensity of heartburn episodes and the intake of over- the-counter (OTC) medications. GERD-QoL and self-assessment questionnaires were also completed every two weeks and at the end of the treatment, respectively. FS was effective in achieving a progressive and significant reduction of heartburn frequency and severity, with an intergroup significant difference at the end of the treatment period. FS group also reported a reduction in the OTC medication intake, whereas placebo administration did not modify the OTC intake. Results from the QoL and self-assessment questionnaires showed that FS administration achieved a progressive and statistically significant intragroup and intergroup improvement in the QoL score and a higher positive response with respect to the placebo treatment.