Nutritional supplement

Abstract

To provide a nutritional supplement having a growth-promoting effect on intestinal bacteria.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a nutritional supplement containing a salt having a composition comprising Na: 33.0-37.0 wt.%, Cl: 51.0-57.0 wt.%, Mg: 0.1-0.3 wt.%, K: 0.05-0.20 wt.%, Ca: 0.2-0.4 wt.%, and Fe: 1.1-1.5 wtppm.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a nutritional supplement.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, attention has been focused on the effect of probiotics on improving physical condition. In particular, Clostridium butyricum, which is a type of intestinal bacterium, produces short-chain fatty acids such as butyric acid and acetic acid as metabolites in the intestine. Such short-chain fatty acids not only suppress the growth of so-called harmful bacteria by keeping the intestinal environment acidic, but also bind to short-chain fatty acid receptors present on the cell surface of blood vessels and exert effects such as lowering blood pressure by acting on the renin-angiotensin system. Patent Document 1 discloses a method for efficiently producing such Clostridium butyricum.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the method of Patent Document 1 relates to a method for efficiently producing Clostridium butyricum, which is an anaerobic bacterium, and does not relate to a method for growing Clostridium butyricum present in the intestine of a living body. Therefore, a technique capable of growing Clostridium butyricum present in the intestine of a living body has been desired.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] As a result of intensive studies by the present inventors, it has been found that the above problems can be solved by a food containing a specific salt, and the present invention has been achieved. That is, the present invention is [1] A nutritional supplement containing a salt derived from seawater containing the following composition: Na: 33.0 to 37.0 wt% Cl: 51.0 - 57.0 wt% Mg: 0.1 - 0.3 wt% K: 0.05 - 0.20 wt% Ca: 0.2 - 0.4 wt% Fe: 1.1 - 1.5 wtppm [2] The dietary supplement according to [1], further comprising sucrose. [3] The dietary supplement according to [1], wherein the salt is a salt derived from seawater, and [4] The dietary supplement according to [3], wherein the seawater is seawater at a depth of 100 m or less.

Advantages of the Invention

[0006] The dietary supplement of the present invention provides a growth effect on bacteria in the body, particularly in the intestine, especially butyric acid bacteria.

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0007] As described above, the dietary supplement of the present invention contains a salt having a composition of Na: 33.0 - 37.0 wt%, Cl: 51.0 - 57.0 wt%, Mg: 0.1 - 0.3 wt%, K: 0.05 - 0.20 wt%, Ca: 0.2 - 0.4 wt% and Fe: 1.1 - 1.5 wtppm. The above salt and other components will be described below.

[0008] 1. Salt As described above, the salt contained in the dietary supplement of the present invention is Na (sodium): 33.0 - 37.0 wt%, preferably 34.0 - 36.0 wt%, Cl (chlorine): 51.0 - 57.0 wt%, preferably 53.0 - 55.0 wt%, Mg (magnesium): 0.1 - 0.3 wt%, preferably 0.2 - 0.3 wt%, K (potassium): 0.05 - 0.20 wt%, preferably 0.10 - 0.15 wt%, Ca (calcium): 0.2 - 0.4 wt%, preferably 0.25 - 0.35 wt% and Fe (iron): 1.1 to 1.5 wtppm, preferably 1.2 to 1.4 wtppm It is a salt containing the composition. The salt used in the present invention may further contain other components as long as it contains the above composition. As other components, for example, any elements that can usually be contained in the salt, such as Mn (manganese) and Zn (zinc), may be included. When measuring the above composition, for example, spectrophotometry, atomic absorption spectrophotometry, or ICP (inductively coupled plasma) emission analysis is preferably used as the measurement method. When preparing the salt of the above composition, trace components may be added to industrially produced sodium chloride (NaCl) for preparation.

[0009] In addition, the salt of the above composition is preferably a salt derived from seawater. Such a salt derived from seawater contains trace mineral components other than sodium and chlorine naturally as compared with industrially produced salts, so that it is easier to obtain a salt having the above composition. Further, as the seawater used for producing the salt derived from seawater, for example, seawater at a depth of 100 m or less is more preferably used. Seawater obtained from such a deep water depth of 100 m or less is generally at a lower temperature than the upper-layer seawater, and the amount of trace components contained in the seawater is different from that of the upper-layer seawater, and it is even easier to obtain a salt containing the above composition.

[0010] Specific methods for producing the above salt using seawater include, for example, the following methods: First step: A step of collecting seawater Second step: A step of drying the obtained seawater in the sun in a salt pan or the like Third step: A step of collecting the salt precipitated by sun drying Fourth step: A step of stacking and standing the collected salt Fifth step: A step of depositing the salt after standing and exposing it outdoors Each step will be described below.

[0011] (1) First step The first step is to collect seawater. The sea area from which seawater is collected is not particularly limited, provided that salt can be produced without problems in food hygiene. When collecting seawater at a water depth of 100 m or less as described above, the seawater at a water depth of 100 m or less may be directly collected using a pipe or the like. Also, when the sun, moon, and the earth are in a straight line, a spring tide occurs, and seawater at a deep water depth may circulate and appear in the upper layer. Such seawater may be collected and used to produce salt. As a guideline for such low-layer seawater, for example, when the seawater temperature during a spring tide is 10°C or more lower than the normal seawater temperature, it is considered that the seawater at a water depth of 100 m or less has circulated to the upper layer. Here, the "normal seawater temperature" means, for example, the seawater temperature on the day before a spring tide occurs.

[0012] (2) The second step The second step is to dry the obtained seawater in the sun in a salt pan or the like. The obtained seawater is dried in the sun in facilities such as salt pans used when producing salt derived from normal seawater to increase the seawater concentration. The conditions and period of sun drying can be appropriately adjusted based on the site conditions of the facilities, weather conditions, and the state of the collected seawater.

[0013] (3) The third step The third step is to collect the salt precipitated by sun drying. By drying seawater in the sun, the moisture in the seawater evaporates, and the salt content in the seawater precipitates. The precipitated salt may be collected each time, and it is not necessary to wait for the moisture in the seawater to completely evaporate.

[0014] (4) The fourth step The fourth step is to stack and leave the recovered salt to stand. There is no particular limit on the height of stacking the salt. For example, it may be stacked to a height of about 30 to 50 cm and left to stand. By stacking and leaving the thus-precipitated salt to stand, the "bitterness" contained in the salt immediately after precipitation gradually descends, and thus the bitterness is gradually removed from the salt. The standing environment may be either outdoors or indoors. Also, the period of standing can be appropriately adjusted based on the state of the seawater used, the standing environment, etc. For example, the standard period when standing outdoors is about 30 to 90 days.

[0015] (5) The fifth step The fifth step is to deposit the salt after standing and expose it outdoors. The amount of salt to be deposited can be appropriately adjusted. For example, the salt can be stacked up to a height of about 10 m. The deposited salt is exposed outdoors to sunlight and wind and rain. The period of outdoor exposure can be appropriately adjusted according to the state of the collected salt and the exposure environment, etc. The standard of the specific exposure period is at least 10 years. By exposing the thus-deposited salt outdoors for a long period, components such as heavy metals contained in the salt derived from seawater are sedimented and removed together with rainwater. After removing dust from the salt after the outdoor exposure is completed, it can be used in the nutritional supplement food of the present invention.

[0016] The salt produced by the method as described above becomes table salt containing trace components as described above, and thus can be suitably used in the nutritional supplement food of the present invention.

[0017] By using the salt containing the composition as described above, a growth effect of intestinal bacteria, for example, butyric acid bacteria, can be obtained. Also, as described above, since the nutritional supplement food of the present invention contains the salt as described above, it can also exhibit the function as an oral rehydration solution. In particular, since the K (potassium) concentration of the salt is very low, the nutritional supplement food of the present invention can also exhibit the function as an oral rehydration solution that can be ingested by patients who have kidney diseases and are restricted in potassium intake.

[0018] 2. Other components The nutritional supplement of the present invention may contain other components in addition to the above salts. Such other components generally include any components typically contained in nutritional supplements. Below, other components suitably used in the nutritional supplement of the present invention will be described.

[0019] (1) Seasonings Seasonings for adjusting the taste can be added to the nutritional supplement of the present invention. Specific examples of such seasonings include, for example, sweet components such as sucrose, glucose, or oligosaccharides, and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, and sour components such as acetic acid and citric acid. For example, by using sucrose, not only can the taste be adjusted, but also the osmotic pressure can be adjusted to further improve the function of the nutritional supplement as an oral rehydration solution. Also, by using citric acid, not only can the taste be adjusted, but it can also serve as a nutrient for intestinal bacteria, such as butyric acid bacteria, to assist their growth, and further adjust the osmotic pressure to more effectively improve the function of the nutritional supplement as an oral rehydration solution.

[0020] (2) Other additives The nutritional supplement of the present invention may contain additives for maintaining its quality. Specific examples of such additives include, for example, colorants, preservatives, thickeners (e.g., gelatin, pectin, or glucomannan), antioxidants, fragrances, and adsorbents (e.g., silica), etc.

[0021] 3. Nutritional supplement The nutritional supplement of the present invention may contain the above-mentioned salts and other components. There is no particular limitation on the form of the nutritional supplement, and it may be in the form of a powder obtained by mixing the above components, a solid form obtained by solidifying the powder, a paste form, or a liquid form. It is also possible to add a liquid such as water to the powdered nutritional supplement to make it liquid for consumption. The nutritional supplement contains 5 to 30% by mass, preferably 10 to 25% by mass, and more preferably 15 to 20% by mass of the salt having the above composition. By setting the salt content within the above numerical range, the growth effect of butyric acid bacteria can be expected, and when the nutritional supplement of the present invention is used as an oral rehydration solution, the salt replenishment effect can be exerted.

[0022] As described above, the dietary supplement of the present invention can obtain the growth effect of intestinal bacteria, such as butyric acid bacteria. The growth of intestinal bacteria not only supplies short-chain fatty acids to the intestine and keeps the intestinal environment acidic to suppress the growth of so-called harmful bacteria, but also binds to short-chain fatty acid receptors present on the cell surface of blood vessels and acts on the renin-angiotensin system, so that effects such as lowering blood pressure can be expected.

[0023] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to Examples. Needless to say, the Examples do not affect the scope of the present invention.

Examples

[0024] 1. Preparation of salt The salt used in the dietary supplement of the present invention was produced according to the following steps: (1) On October 3, 2012 (a spring tide day), seawater off the coast of Hui'an, Fujian Province, China was collected. The temperature of the collected seawater was 12°C lower than the seawater temperature on a normal day (the day before the spring tide). (2) The collected seawater was dried in the sun in a salt pan on the coast of Hui'an. The salt precipitated during the sun drying was appropriately collected. (3) The collected salt was piled up outdoors near the salt pan to a height of about 40 cm and left standing for 60 days. (4) The salt after standing was collected and deposited outdoors near the salt pan to a height of about 10 m. The deposited salt was exposed outdoors for 10 years. The salt after exposure was collected, dusted, and crushed into powder to prepare the salt used in the dietary supplement (hereinafter, the prepared salt is referred to as "mineral salt"). When the composition of the obtained mineral salt was measured by the Japan Food Analysis Center, a general incorporated foundation, it had the composition as shown in the following table.

Table 1

[0025] 2. Confirmation of the growth effect of butyric acid bacteria by the salt (1) The bacterial cells used Butyric acid bacteria (NBRC No. 3315) was obtained and used from the Biotechnology Center (NBRC), National Institute of Technology and Evaluation, Japan. (2) Medium composition used (A) Solid medium To compare the obtained mineral salts with industrially produced salts (hereinafter referred to as "NaCl"), the following medium was prepared. The NaCl was the product named "Table salt, seawater of Japan" manufactured by the Salt Industry Center, and its composition was 99.9 wt% or more of sodium chloride.

Table 2

[0026] (3) Confirmation of growth effect by solid medium Using the agar medium, the growth effect of butyric acid bacteria was confirmed. The butyric acid bacteria were pre-cultured on the agar medium (NaCl medium) at a temperature of 29.5 - 31.5 °C under anaerobic conditions for 3 days. After the culture, the medium was punched out with a cork borer, inoculated into Petri dishes for this test (n number = 4), and cultured under the above conditions for 110 hours. The size (diameter) of the colonies formed after the culture was measured, and the average value was calculated. The test results are shown in the following table.

Table 3

[0027] (4) Confirmation of the growth effect by the liquid medium The Clostridium butyricum was previously cultured on the agar medium (NaCl medium) under anaerobic conditions at a temperature of 29.5 - 31.5 °C for 3 days. A sterilized toothpick was stabbed into the colony formed by the culture, and the toothpick was put into the liquid medium in the test tube. The test tube was statically cultured under anaerobic conditions at a temperature of 29.5 - 31.5 °C. The culture solution after 110 hours of culture was diluted 100 times with sterilized distilled water three times in a row (that is, diluted 1 million times), 0.1 ml of the diluted liquid medium was dropped onto the agar medium (NaCl medium), spread with a spreader, and then cultured under anaerobic conditions at a temperature of 29.5 - 31.5 °C for 72 hours (n number = 5). After the culture, the number of colonies formed on the medium strip was counted, and the average value was calculated. The test results are shown in the following table.

Table 4

[0028] 3. Preparation of nutritional supplements Using the obtained mineral salt, nutritional supplements were manufactured. The following raw materials in powder form were mixed to manufacture powdered nutritional supplements.

Table 5

[0029] 4. Efficacy confirmation test by eating nutritional supplements Men and women diagnosed with hypertension by a doctor were asked to eat the prepared nutritional supplements, and the blood pressure changes before and after eating were confirmed. The nutritional supplement was prepared by dissolving 11.24 g of the powdered nutritional supplement in 500 ml of drinking water and eaten once a day. The eating was continued for one week, and the blood pressure changes before and after eating were confirmed. The test results are summarized in the following table.

Table 6

Industrial Applicability

[0030] According to the present invention, there is provided a nutritional supplement having an effect of improving the health state by improving the intestinal environment.

Claims

**Claim 1** A dietary supplement containing a salt comprising the following composition: Na: 33.0 to 37.0 wt% Cl: 51.0 to 57.0 wt% Mg: 0.1 to 0.3 wt% K: 0.05 to 0.20 wt% Ca: 0.2 to 0.4 wt% Fe: 1.1 to 1.5 wtppm **Claim 2** The dietary supplement according to claim 1, further comprising sucrose. **Claim 3** The dietary supplement according to claim 1, wherein the salt is a salt derived from seawater. **Claim 4** The dietary supplement according to claim 3, wherein the seawater is seawater at a depth of 100 m or less.

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