Composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathetic capacity, and a method for improving friendliness and / or empathetic capacity, that make it possible to improve friendliness and / or empathetic capacity. The present invention pertains to a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathetic capacity, the composition containing one or more selected from the group consisting of C20 or higher long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids and derivatives thereof.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy. More specifically, the present invention relates to a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, which contains one or more selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids and their derivatives. Further, the present invention relates to a method for improving friendliness and / or empathy. Further, the present invention relates to the use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives for improving friendliness and / or empathy, etc.

Background Art

[0002] People live through their daily lives in connection with the society to which each individual belongs. Therefore, maintaining and improving sociality enhances people's quality of life (QOL / Quality Of Life) and leads to the creation of a rich life. Good sociality, such as building relationships with others and increasing the frequency of contact with the external environment, is considered to be influenced by an individual's friendliness and empathy towards others.

[0003] In fact, epidemiological studies have reported that empathy has a positive impact on sociality (Non-Patent Document 1), and it has been shown that improving friendliness and empathy towards others leads to an improvement in sociality.

[0004] Such friendliness and empathy are different abilities from attention, memory, executive function, etc., and are considered to be a type of brain function. The brain is an organ composed of about 6% lipids excluding water, and the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids that constitute the cell membranes (phospholipids) of brain cells are mainly arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. However, these arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid cannot be synthesized de novo in the animal body and need to be ingested from food directly or indirectly (linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid, which are precursors of arachidonic acid and docosahexaenoic acid).

[0005] For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a composition having a preventive or ameliorative effect on diseases caused by a decline in brain function is disclosed, in which arachidonic acid and / or compounds containing arachidonic acid as a constituent fatty acid are used as active ingredients. However, while improvement effects on a decline in memory and learning ability, cognitive decline, emotional disorders (e.g., depression), and intellectual disabilities (e.g., dementia, specifically Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia) have been shown, no effect on friendliness or empathy has been demonstrated.

[0006] Furthermore, Non-Patent Document 2 discloses the effects of oral nutritional supplements containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the quality of life and functional status of lung cancer patients undergoing multidisciplinary treatment (DISCUSSION). Non-Patent Document 3 discloses that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, the most abundant fatty acids in the brain, are essential for brain and retinal growth and development, and that intake of fish oil supplements (containing docosahexaenoic acid and eicopentaenoic acid) by pregnant women in the prenatal and postnatal periods is beneficial for the neurodevelopment of communication domains in 4-month-old infants. Non-Patent Document 4 discloses that autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by reduced cortical functional connectivity related to social cognition, and that arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may play important roles in the maturation of brain networks, suggesting that DHA and ARA intake improves impaired social interaction in individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Non-Patent Document 5 suggests that long-chain omega-3 fatty acids improve cognitive depressive symptoms. However, these studies have not demonstrated any effect on friendliness or empathy.

[0007] As described above, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids have been studied for some time. However, the effects of consuming long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on friendliness and empathy have not been demonstrated, and many aspects remain unclear.

[0008] Furthermore, while Non-Patent Document 6 has shown improvements in social functioning through exercise, its effects on friendliness and empathy have not been demonstrated and remain unclear. [Primary Technology Documents] [Chartered documents]

[0009]

Patent Document 1

Non-licensed literature

[0010] [Non-licensed document 1] Aging & Mental Health Vol. 12, No. 4, July 2008, 499-503 "Empathy and social functioning in late adulthood" [Non-licensed document 2] European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2012) 66, 399-404, “Oral nutritional supplements containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids affect quality of life and functional status in lung cancer patients during multimodality treatment: an RCT” [Non-licensed document 3] Eur J Nutr (2018) 57:2387-2397, “The effect of perinatal fish oil supplementation on neurodevelopment and growth of infants: a randomized controlled trial”

Non-licensed Document 4

[0011] The present invention aims to provide a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, which can improve friendliness and / or empathy, particularly in relation to interpersonal relationships in social life. Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a method for improving friendliness and / or empathy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In other words, the present invention relates to the following compositions, methods for improving friendliness and / or empathy, etc. [1] A composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives. [2] The composition described in [1] above, used for improving social skills through improved friendliness and / or empathy. [3] The composition according to [1] or [2] above, wherein the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid. [4] The composition according to [3] above, wherein the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids are arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid. [5] The composition according to [4], wherein the weight ratio of the arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid is 0.01 to 500 units of docosahexaenoic acid and 0.01 to 500 units of eicosapentaenoic acid per 1 unit of arachidonic acid. [6] The above-mentioned improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is evaluated by POMS2 (trademark) of any of the compositions described in [1] to [5] above. [7] The composition described in [6] above, wherein the above-mentioned improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is evaluated by the "Friendliness" scale of POMS2 (trademark). [8] A composition according to any one of [1] to [7] above, used in combination with exercise. [9] The composition according to any one of [1] to [8] above, wherein the composition is a food composition or a pharmaceutical composition.

[10] The composition according to [9] above, characterized in that it is a food composition, a nutritional supplement, a food for specified health uses, or a food for the elderly.

[11] A method for improving friendliness and / or empathy by administering one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives.

[12] The use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, for the purpose of improving friendliness and / or empathy. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present invention, there can be provided a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, which contains at least one selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids and derivatives thereof as an active ingredient and can improve friendliness and / or empathy.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0014] The composition of the present invention is a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, which contains at least one selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms (hereinafter also referred to as LCPUFAs) and derivatives thereof. The composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy of the present invention contains at least one selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and derivatives thereof as an active ingredient. Here, examples of the derivatives of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFAs) having 20 or more carbon atoms include ester forms and vinyl ether forms of LCPUFAs having 20 or more carbon atoms, compounds having a structure in which LCPUFAs having 20 or more carbon atoms are bonded, and compounds that can separate (generate) LCPUFAs having 20 or more carbon atoms by hydrolysis.

[0015] The long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid used in the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it has 20 or more carbon atoms and has two or more carbon-carbon unsaturated bonds. Specifically, examples include at least one selected from eicosadienoic acid, eicosatrienoic acid, eicosatetraenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, docosadienoic acid, docosatrienoic acid, docosatetraenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, tetracosadienoic acid, tetracosatrienoic acid, tetracosatetraenoic acid, tetracosapentaenoic acid, tetracosahexaenoic acid, and arachidonic acid. The long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid.

[0016] As derivatives of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms, all compounds having a structure to which long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms are bonded, and all compounds that allow for the separation of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms by hydrolysis can be used. If the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms are, for example, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and / or eicosapentaenoic acid, then all compounds having a structure to which arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and / or eicosapentaenoic acid are bonded, and all compounds that allow for the separation of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and / or eicosapentaenoic acid by hydrolysis can be used. Compounds having a structure in which the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms are bonded, and compounds that allow the separation of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms by hydrolysis include salts of the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms, such as calcium salts and sodium salts, and alcohol esters of the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms, such as methyl arachidonic acid, ethyl docosahexaenoate, and ethyl eicosapentaenoate. Furthermore, as derivatives of the above, triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, phospholipids, and glycolipids can be used, in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms.

[0017] When one or more of the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives are selected from the group consisting of these, and at least one of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and their derivatives, it is desirable that the above-mentioned long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms be in the form of triglycerides or phospholipids, and especially derivatives in the form of triglycerides, when considering their application to food.

[0018] Accordingly, in the present invention, as a derivative of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, a triglyceride in which part or all of the constituent fatty acids are the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms (a triglyceride containing the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms) can be used. As a triglyceride containing the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms, a fat (triglyceride) in which the proportion of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms among the total fatty acids constituting the triglyceride is 5% by weight (w / w) or more, preferably 10% by weight or more, more preferably 20% by weight or more, and most preferably 30% by weight or more is a desirable form when applied to food. The origin of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acid having 20 or more carbon atoms and its derivatives is not particularly limited. For example, in the present invention, as a derivative of arachidonic acid, any product obtained by culturing microorganisms capable of producing fats (triglycerides) containing arachidonic acid (microbially fermented fats and oils) can be used. Furthermore, any derivative of docosahexaenoic acid and / or eicosapentaenoic acid, such as fish oil or concentrated fish oil containing oils (triglycerides) that contain docosahexaenoic acid and / or eicosapentaenoic acid, can be used.

[0019] Furthermore, if there are multiple types of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms, the desired form of triglycerides for food applications is oils and fats (triglycerides) in which the total proportion of the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms among the total fatty acids constituting the triglycerides is 5% by weight (w / w) or more, preferably 10% by weight or more, more preferably 20% by weight or more, and even more preferably 30% by weight or more.

[0020] Furthermore, the composition of the present invention more preferably contains arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid as the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms.

[0021] Furthermore, when the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms include arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid, it is preferable that the weight ratio of these is 0.01 to 500 parts docosahexaenoic acid and 0.01 to 500 parts eicosapentaenoic acid per 1 part arachidonic acid. More preferably, the weight ratio is 0.05 to 100 parts docosahexaenoic acid and 0.05 to 100 parts eicosapentaenoic acid per 1 part arachidonic acid, and even more preferably 0.1 to 50 parts docosahexaenoic acid and 0.01 to 50 parts eicosapentaenoic acid per 1 part arachidonic acid.

[0022] The composition of the present invention is a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy, and it is preferable that the improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is evaluated by POMS2 (Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition). POMS2 is an unregistered trademark of Multi-Health Systems Inc. Note that psychological tests vary depending on the target population, such as adult or adolescent versions, and also vary in the number of questions, such as full-item versions or abbreviated versions. The appropriate test method and number of questions can be selected according to the target situation.

[0023] Specifically, POMS2 measures the following factors: Tension-Anxiety (TA), Depression-Dejection (D), Anger-Hostility (AH), Vigor Activity (VA), Fatigue-Inertia (FI), Confusion-Bewilderment (CB), and Friendliness (F).

[0024] Examples of POMS2 include "Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition-Adult (POMS 2-A)" and "Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition-Adult Short (POMS 2-A Short)" (original author: Heuchert, JP et al. Japanese translation: supervised by Kazuhito Yokoyama, Kaneko Shobo, 2015).

[0025] Mood assessment using "POMS2 Adult Full Version," "POMS2 Adult Short Version," "POMS2 Adolescent Full Version," and "POMS2 Adolescent Short Version" is one of the tests that objectively measures the psychological state of the subject using a questionnaire. The validity of POMS2 has been confirmed in countries around the world and is used to understand mood changes caused by medications, foods, exercise, relaxation, etc.

[0026] In the composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy of the present invention, the improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is preferably measured using either the "POMS2 Adult Full Item Version" or the "POMS2 Adult Short Version," and more preferably using the "POMS2 Adult Full Item Version." The "POMS2 Adult Full-Item Version" includes items for measuring the "Friendliness" factor such as (1) enjoying socializing, (2) caring for others, (3) feeling sympathetic, (4) feeling like you can be helpful to others, (5) being able to be warm to others, and (6) trusting others. Of the above questions (1) to (6), (1) to (4) are questions related to empathy, and therefore can measure friendliness and empathy.

[0027] The "Friendliness" factor in POMS2 represents a state of feeling trustworthy and caring towards others, and in this specification, "improved friendliness" refers to an improvement in the "Friendliness" score evaluated by POMS2. Furthermore, in this specification, "improved empathy" refers to an improvement in the numerical value of at least one of the response items selected from the questions used to measure "Friendliness" in POMS2: (1) I enjoy socializing, (2) I care about others, (3) I sympathize, and (4) I feel like I can be helpful to others.

[0028] The compositions of the present invention are preferably used to improve social skills through improved friendliness and / or empathy. Generally, social skills are described as the inclination to live in groups, and a lifestyle (sociability) that involves interacting with those around oneself rather than isolating oneself. In this specification, "sociability" means a lifestyle (sociability) that involves interacting with those around oneself, and specifically, an increase in the frequency of social activities such as visits from others, participation in community activities such as clubs, and meeting people for conversation or meals out is expressed as an improvement in social skills. Furthermore, an improvement in social skills includes maintaining social skills and suppressing a decline in social skills.

[0029] Furthermore, recent studies, such as the aforementioned Non-Patent Document 1, have reported in epidemiological studies that empathy has a positive impact on social skills. Therefore, improvements in friendliness and / or empathy can lead to improved social skills.

[0030] The composition of the present invention is used to improve friendliness and / or empathy, but is preferably used in combination with exercise. By using it in combination with exercise, the effect of improving friendliness and / or empathy can be more pronounced. The exercise referred to here may be any of the following: aerobic exercise such as jogging, walking, gymnastics, and aerobics; resistance exercise to increase muscle mass and strength such as squats, bench press, side raises, rowing, calf raises, and sit-ups; or flexibility exercises (stretching). The composition of the present invention is more preferably used in combination with two or more types of aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, and flexibility exercise, and is more preferably used in combination with aerobic exercise and resistance exercise. For example, the composition of the present invention may be used in combination with at least one of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise and flexibility exercise (stretching), or it may be used in combination with aerobic exercise, resistance exercise and flexibility exercise. In this case, flexibility exercise may be performed either before or after aerobic exercise and / or resistance exercise, or both before and after.

[0031] The frequency and duration of the above exercises may be, for example, 5 minutes or more per day (preferably 30 minutes or more) at least once a week, preferably 2 days or more per week (preferably 30 minutes or more) at least once a day, more preferably 5 minutes or more per day (preferably 30 minutes or more), more preferably 3 days or more per week (preferably 30 minutes or more) at least once a day, and even more preferably 5 days or more per week (preferably 30 minutes or more) at least once a day. The frequency and / or duration of the above exercises may also be determined according to the subject, the type of exercise and / or combination of exercises. For example, in the case of aerobic exercise, it may be 10 to 60 minutes per day, 2 to 5 days a week; in the case of resistance exercise, it may be 10 to 60 minutes per day, 1 to 3 days a week; and in the case of flexibility exercise, it may be 5 to 30 minutes per day, 1 to 7 days a week.

[0032] The exercise intensity combined with the composition of the present invention is preferably 2.0 METs (e.g., walking / very slow / 17151) or higher, more preferably 2.3 METs (e.g., stretching / gentle / 02101) or higher, and even more preferably 3.5 METs (e.g., resistance weight training / 02054) or higher. The exercise load is preferably determined according to the individual. (For exercise intensity, refer to the "Revised METs Table for Physical Activity (National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Japan, 2012).")

[0033] The composition of the present invention is preferably a food composition or a pharmaceutical composition. Examples of food compositions include general foods, functional foods, nutritional supplements, foods for specified health uses, infant formula, infant formula, infant food, food for pregnant and lactating women, or food for the elderly. Among these, the food composition of the present invention is preferably a functional food, nutritional supplement, food for specified health uses, or food for the elderly.

[0034] Foods containing oils and fats are preferred, and examples include natural foods that inherently contain oils and fats such as meat, fish, or nuts; foods to which oils and fats are added during cooking, such as soups; foods to which oils and fats are used as a heat transfer medium, such as donuts; oily foods such as butter; processed foods to which oils and fats are added during processing, such as cookies; or foods to which oils and fats are sprayed or coated during the finishing process, such as hard biscuits. Furthermore, long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms, which are the active ingredients of the present invention, can be added to agricultural products, fermented foods, livestock products, marine products, or beverages that do not contain oils and fats.

[0035] Furthermore, the composition of the present invention may be in the form of a functional food, pharmaceutical, or quasi-drug, and may also be in processed forms such as enteral nutritional supplements, powders, granules, lozenges, oral solutions, suspensions, emulsions, or syrups. The food composition of the present invention comprises one or more long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, preferably comprising arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid, and at least one compound having these as constituent fatty acids, and may be labeled as having a friendly and / or empathy-improving effect or an effect based on such effect. Such indications may include phrases such as: maintaining and improving cognitive empathy, maintaining and improving emotional empathy, enjoying social interactions, caring for others, feeling sympathetic, feeling useful to others, being able to be warm to others, trusting others, maintaining and improving compassion, maintaining and improving willingness to participate in society, maintaining and improving social skills, maintaining and improving communication skills, maintaining and improving listening skills, and maintaining and improving dialogue skills.

[0036] Furthermore, the composition of the present invention contains one or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives. Preferably, the active ingredients include arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid, and at least one compound having these as constituent fatty acids. In addition, it may contain various carriers and additives commonly used in food and beverages, pharmaceuticals, or quasi-drugs. It is particularly preferable to include antioxidants to prevent oxidation of the active ingredients. Examples of antioxidants include natural antioxidants such as tocopherols, flavonoid derivatives, phyllodulcins, kojic acid, gallic acid derivatives, catechins, fuchsia, gossypol, pyrazine derivatives, sesamol, guaiacid, guaiacid, p-coumaric acid, nol-dihydroguaiyatectic acid, sterols, terpenes, nucleic acid bases, carotenoids, and lignans, as well as synthetic antioxidants such as ascorbic acid palmitate, ascorbic acid stearate, butylhydroxyanisole (BHA), butylhydroxytoluene (BHT), mono-t-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), and 4-hydroxymale-2,6-di-t-butylphenol (HMBP).

[0037] Examples of tocopherols include α-tocopherol, β-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, tocopherol, and tocopherol esters (such as tocopherol acetate). Furthermore, examples of carotenoids include β-carotene, canthaxanthin, and astaxanthin.

[0038] Examples of the above-mentioned carriers include various carriers, extenders, diluents, bulking agents, dispersants, excipients, binders, solvents (e.g., water, ethanol, vegetable oil), solubilizers, buffers, dissolution accelerators, gelling agents, suspending agents, wheat flour, rice flour, starch, corn starch, polysaccharides, milk protein, collagen, rice oil, lecithin, etc. Examples of the above-mentioned additives include, but are not limited to, vitamins, sweeteners, organic acids, colorants, flavorings, moisture inhibitors, fiber, electrolytes, minerals, nutrients, antioxidants, preservatives, fragrances, humectants, natural food extracts, vegetable extracts, etc.

[0039] The daily intake of the composition of the present invention, calculated as the intake of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms, is preferably 0.001g to 20g per day for an adult (for example, assuming a body weight of 60kg), more preferably 0.01g to 10g, even more preferably 0.05g to 5g, and particularly preferably 0.1g to 2g. In particular, it is preferable that the total intake of arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and eicosapentaenoic acid falls within the above range.

[0040] When the active ingredient of the present invention is actually applied to food and beverages, the absolute amount of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms incorporated into the food is also important. However, since the absolute amount incorporated into food and beverages also changes depending on the amount of food and beverages consumed, when incorporating triglycerides containing triglycerides in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms into food, it is preferable to incorporate them so that they amount to 0.001% by weight or more as long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms, more preferably 0.01% by weight or more, and even more preferably 0.1% by weight or more. Furthermore, it is preferable to incorporate them so that they amount to 90% by weight or less as long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms, more preferably 85% by weight or less, and even more preferably 80% by weight or less.

[0041] When the composition of the present invention is used as a pharmaceutical product, it can be manufactured according to conventional methods in the pharmaceutical technology, for example, methods described in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia or similar methods. When the composition of the present invention is used as a pharmaceutical product, the amount of active ingredients in the composition is not particularly limited as long as the objective of the present invention is achieved, and it can be used in an appropriate proportion as appropriate. When the composition of the present invention is used as a pharmaceutical product, it is preferable to administer it in dose units, and oral administration is particularly preferred.

[0042] The dosage of the composition of the present invention varies depending on age, weight, symptoms, and number of administrations, but for example, for an adult (assuming a weight of approximately 60 kg), it is preferable to administer approximately 0.001 g to 20 g per day, preferably about 0.01 g to 10 g, more preferably about 0.05 g to 5 g, and even more preferably about 0.1 g to 2 g, in terms of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids with 20 or more carbon atoms, divided into 1 to 3 doses per day.

[0043] Regarding methods for producing foods and beverages that have a friendly and / or empathy-improving effect, one example is a method of blending long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and / or derivatives thereof alone with food and beverage ingredients that substantially do not contain long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms. Food and beverage ingredients that substantially do not contain long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms include foods and beverages that, even if they contain long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms, have a daily intake amount that does not reach 0.001g in terms of the amount of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms.

[0044] The target population (or recipient population) of the composition of the present invention is not particularly limited and can be applied to humans or non-human mammals, but humans are preferred. Examples of target populations include those who wish or need to improve their friendliness and / or empathy, and those who wish or need to improve their social skills through improved friendliness and / or empathy. Examples of such target populations include healthy adults and healthy middle-aged and elderly individuals who exhibit a decline in friendliness and / or empathy. In this specification, middle-aged and elderly individuals refer to adults aged 40 or older. In recent years, the proportion of elderly people has been increasing in countries such as Japan, and extending healthy life expectancy and improving the quality of daily life (QOL) have become challenges. For example, improving the social skills of the elderly is expected to contribute to improving the healthy life expectancy and QOL of the elderly. Therefore, healthy elderly individuals are preferred as the target population (or recipient population) of the composition of the present invention. In this specification, elderly individuals may refer to adults aged 60 or older.

[0045] The present invention also encompasses the following uses and methods. Use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, or a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy containing said compounds. Use of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, or a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy containing said compounds, for improving social skills through improved friendliness and / or empathy. A method for improving friendliness and / or empathy, comprising the step of administering to a subject one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, or a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy containing said compounds. A method for improving social skills through improved friendliness and / or empathy, comprising the step of administering to a subject one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, or a composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy containing said compounds.

[0046] In the above-described uses and methods, the long-chain highly unsaturated fatty acids having 20 or more carbon atoms and their derivatives, the composition of the present invention, the target recipients of administration, and preferred embodiments thereof are the same as those described in the composition of the present invention above. In the above-described uses and methods, the composition of the present invention can be used in the form of the above-described foods, pharmaceuticals, etc. The above uses may be therapeutic or non-therapeutic. The above methods may be therapeutic or non-therapeutic. The term "non-therapeutic" refers to a concept that does not include medical procedures, i.e., human surgery, treatment, or diagnosis. Furthermore, all academic and patent documents cited herein are incorporated herein by reference. [Examples]

[0047] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0048] (Example 1, Comparative Examples 1 and 2) <Preparation of test food> Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA)-containing oil was prepared by combining arachidonic acid-containing edible oil (triglycerides) obtained by aerated and stirred culture of Mortierella microorganisms with DHA and EPA-containing oil (triglycerides) extracted from fish, so that the weight ratio of arachidonic acid (ARA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) was 6:15:5.

[0049] Water was added to 100 parts by weight of gelatin and 30 parts by weight of food-grade glycerin, and dissolved at 50-60°C to prepare a soft capsule coating material. Next, using the obtained LCPUFA-containing oil, capsules were formed and dried by conventional methods to produce soft capsules containing 180 mg of contents per capsule (capsule size: 10.7 mm long diameter x 7.0 mm short diameter), creating an LCPUFA-containing food with 120 mg of ARA, 300 mg of DHA, and 100 mg of EPA per 6 capsules. As a control food for clinical trials, soft capsules with refined olive oil as the contents were produced. To prevent deterioration such as oxidation, the LCPUFA-containing food and the control food were individually packaged in aluminum pouches in sets of 6 capsules each, and the number required for clinical trials was prepared.

[0050] <Clinical Trials> A placebo-controlled, single-blind, parallel-group comparative study was conducted on healthy elderly individuals aged 60-79 years (without regular exercise habits) who provided informed consent to participate in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: no exercise + control food (Comparative Example 1), exercise + control food (Comparative Example 2), and exercise + LCPUFA-containing food (Example 1). Each group underwent 24 weeks of exercise and test food intake interventions. The exercise group performed 30 minutes of resistance exercise (squats, bench press, lateral raises, rowing, calf raises, and sit-ups, each at approximately 10RM for 3-5 sets) two days a week and 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, 12-13 RPE) three days a week. Warm-up and cool-down stretching exercises were performed before and after each exercise. The no-exercise group did not undergo any active exercise intervention and was limited to daily activities. Participants were given six capsules of the test food (control food or LCPUFA-containing food) daily with a sufficient amount of water or lukewarm water. Mood states were assessed using the Profile of Mood States 2 (POMS2), a globally validated scale, before and after the intervention to evaluate the impact of the intervention on mood states. POMS2 has seven subscales, and among them, the "Friendliness" subscale consists of questions such as "I enjoy socializing," "I care about others," "I feel compassionate," "I feel like I can help others," "I can be warm to others," and "I trust others," allowing for the assessment of friendliness and empathy.

[0051] <Analysis results> The number of participants who completed the intervention was 28 in the no-exercise + control food group, 27 in the exercise + control food group, and 21 in the exercise + LCPUFA-containing food group. Table 1 shows the results (T-scores) of the POMS2 assessment for "friendliness." The results of the above assessment are T-scores, which are calculated by summing the raw scores of the questions on "friendliness" in POMS2 and applying them to a standardized conversion table by sex and age, with a mean of 50 points. The mean ± standard error before intervention was 50.9 ± 1.8 points for the no-exercise + control food group, 51.8 ± 2.4 points for the exercise + control food group, and 47.7 ± 2.1 points for the exercise + LCPUFA-containing food group, with no significant differences among the three groups. Regarding changes before and after the intervention, there were no significant changes in the no-exercise + control food group and the exercise + control food group, and no significant improvement effect of exercise was observed in "friendliness" as assessed by POMS2. On the other hand, the group that exercised and consumed foods containing LCPUFA showed a significant increase of 6.6 points. Thus, since only the group that consumed LCPUFA showed improvement in this index, the usefulness of LCPUFA intake for improving friendliness and empathy was confirmed.

[0052] [Table 1] The above results are shown as mean ± standard error. (No exercise + control food group: n=28, Exercise + control food group: n=27, Exercise + LCPUFA-containing food group: n=21) a) No significant difference among the three groups (one-way ANOVA) b) Significantly significant difference compared to before the intervention (** p < 0.01 paired t-test)

Claims

1. It comprises one or more selected from the group consisting of arachidonic acid and its derivatives, one or more selected from the group consisting of docosahexaenoic acid and its derivatives, and one or more selected from the group consisting of eicosapentaenoic acid and its derivatives. Arachidonic acid derivatives are triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, or phospholipids in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are arachidonic acid. Derivatives of docosahexaenoic acid are triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, or phospholipids in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are docosahexaenoic acid. Derivatives of eicosapentaenoic acid are triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, or phospholipids in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid. The weight ratio of one or more selected from the group consisting of arachidonic acid and its derivatives, one or more selected from the group consisting of docosahexaenoic acid and its derivatives, and one or more selected from the group consisting of eicosapentaenoic acid and its derivatives is such that, for every 1 unit of total weight of one or more selected from the group consisting of arachidonic acid and its derivatives, the total weight of one or more selected from the group consisting of docosahexaenoic acid and its derivatives is 0.01 to 500, and the total weight of one or more selected from the group consisting of eicosapentaenoic acid and its derivatives is 0.01 to 500. Food composition for improving friendliness and / or empathy in healthy adults.

2. The composition according to claim 1, used for improving social skills through improved friendliness and / or empathy.

3. Arachidonic acid derivatives are triglycerides in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are arachidonic acid. Derivatives of docosahexaenoic acid are triglycerides in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are docosahexaenoic acid. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the derivative of eicosapentaenoic acid is a triglyceride in which some or all of the constituent fatty acids are eicosapentaenoic acid.

4. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the aforementioned improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is evaluated by POMS2 (trademark).

5. The composition according to claim 4, wherein the improvement in friendliness and / or empathy is evaluated by the "Friendliness" scale of POMS2 (trademark).

6. A composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, used in combination with exercise.

7. The composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it is a functional food, a nutritional supplement, a food for specified health uses, or a food for the elderly.

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