Cysteine and food intake
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to the field of nutrition; in particular to the prevention and/or treatment of malnutrition. One embodiment of the present invention relates to a nutritional composition enriched in cysteine for use in the treatment and/or prevention of malnutrition and disorders related thereto. Such a composition may in particular, but not exclusively, be useful for the elderly population.
1. A method for the treatment of malnutrition and/or a disorder related thereto in an elderly subject in need thereof, the method comprising administering to the elderly subject a nutritional composition that contains from about 20 to 70% of the calories of the nutritional composition from carbohydrates, and a protein fraction comprising at least 5 weight-% cysteine to increase food intake and/or decrease satiety and/or satiation.
2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cysteine is provided in a form of a cysteine precursor selected from the group consisting of cysteine bound in a protein, a peptide hydrolysate, a peptide, and mixed disulfides.
3. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises the cysteine in an amount of at least 2 g/kg dry weight of the composition.
4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cysteine increases appetite.
5. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the disorder related to malnutrition is selected from the group consisting of anorexia, anorexia nervosa, cachexia, inflammatory diseases associated with decreased food intake, and combinations thereof.
6. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cysteine is chemically pure cysteine.
7. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cysteine treats an age related decrease in food intake.
8. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises the cysteine in an amount of at least 10 g/kg dry weight of the composition.
9. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the nutritional composition is administered through a route selected from the group consisting of orally, enterally and parenterally, and wherein the nutritional composition is to be administered within one hour before a meal, during a meal, or as replacement of a meal.
10. A nutritional composition comprising at least 5 weight-% of chemically pure cysteine and from about 20 to 70% of the calories of the nutritional composition from carbohydrates.
11. The nutritional composition in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the nutritional composition has a caloric density of at least 0.5 kcal/g.
12. The nutritional composition in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises about 10 to 40% of the calories of the nutritional composition from proteins.
13. The nutritional composition in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises about 15 to 45% of the calories of the nutritional composition from lipids.
14. The nutritional composition in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the nutritional composition is selected from the group consisting of a food product, a pet food product, a drink, a pharmaceutical, a nutritional formula, a composition for clinical nutrition, a nutritional powder to be reconstituted by addition of water, a juice or milk, a nutraceutical, a food additive, a food supplement, a dairy product, and a gel.
15. A method for the prevention of malnutrition comprising the step of administering to an elderly subject a nutritional composition that contains from about 20 to 70% of the calories of the nutritional composition from carbohydrates and a protein fraction comprising at least 5 weight-% cysteine to increase food intake and/or decrease satiety and/or satiation.
16. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the cysteine is provided in a form of a cysteine precursor selected from the group consisting of cysteine bound in a protein, a peptide hydrolysate, a peptide, and mixed disulfides.
17. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises the cysteine in an amount of at least 2 g/kg dry weight of the composition.
18. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the cysteine increases appetite.
19. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the cysteine is chemically pure cysteine.
20. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the cysteine treats an age related decrease in food intake.
21. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the nutritional composition comprises the cysteine in an amount of at least 10 g/kg dry weight of the composition.
22. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cysteine is provided in a form selected from the group consisting of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine, L-cysteine-glutathione cysteine prodrugs, N-acetyl-cysteine (free form, amide or ester forms), S-allyl-cysteine, S-methyl-cysteine, S-ethyl-cysteine, S-propyl-cysteine, TCA (thiazelidineScarboxylic acid), OTC (L-2-Oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate), and S-hydroxy-methyl mercapto L-cysteine.
23. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the cysteine is provided in a form selected from the group consisting of gamma-glutamyl-cysteine, L-cysteine-glutathione cysteine prodrugs, N-acetyl-cysteine (free form, amide or ester forms), S-allyl-cysteine, S-methyl-cysteine, S-ethyl-cysteine, S-propyl-cysteine, TCA (thiazelidineScarboxylic acid), OTC (L-2-Oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate), and S-hydroxy-methyl mercapto L-cysteine.
24. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the cysteine is administered in a daily dose of about 0.03 to 0.15 g/kg body weight.
25. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the cysteine is administered in a daily dose of about 0.03 to 0.15 g/kg body weight.
26. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the protein fraction comprises at least 10 weight-% cysteine.
27. The method in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the protein fraction comprises at least 10 weight-% cysteine.