Vitamin K plays an important role in blood coagulation and bone formation. However, apart from the liver and bone, the role of vitamin K in other tissues remains unknown. Previously, we have reported on high concentrations of vitamin K in the mouse brain and investigated vitamin K conversion in...

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a site responsible for non-shivering thermogenesis during cold exposure, contributing to the control of body temperature and adiposity. In humans, although a decrease of BAT activity with aging is associated with the development of obesity, chronic activation of BAT...

Simultaneous administration of enteral formula and phenytoin in the clinical setting is known to reduce the plasma concentration of phenytoin. In this study, we examined the binding of phenytoin with enteral formulas and its components by quantifying the free phenytoin concentration. Furthermore,...

Nutrients and foods that are beneficial for the brain are currently the focus of much attention. However, their precise roles in brain function and the mechanisms involved remain unclear. State-of-the-art technologies for analyzing the mechanisms of brain function, such as imaging,...

Vitamin K, a fat-soluble vitamin that plays important roles in blood coagulation and bone formation, has homologues with different side chain structures. Humans mainly consume vitamin K₁ (phylloquinone, PK) in green vegetables and menaquinones (MK-n, n = 6-14) in fermented foods. However, the most...

Sake lees, a byproduct of the sake brewing process generated after pressing, is mostly disposed of as industrial waste. However, sake lees not only contains rice-derived components but also yeast and koji mold components and their metabolites. These are highly nutritious and have been reported to...

Various health plans have been proposed in Japan in order to extend healthy life expectancy. We have accumulated scientific evidence related to lifestyle factors that are beneficial for preservation of bone health. First, we have screened nutrients and food components that affect bone metabolism...

Mice keep their core temperature around 37 degrees by heat production. Their energy expenditure level is increased with decreasing temperature. Appetite is also increased with decreasing temperature. This body reaction is caused by desire for much more energy intake to keep their body temperature...

Skeletal muscle is the largest organ in the human body, playing important roles in exercise, energy expenditure and glucose/amino acid metabolism. Appropriate exercise coupled with sufficient nutrition increases muscle mass. In contrast, bedrest, aging, cancer, and other diseases lead to muscle...

We aimed to reveal why food-derived factors such as plant pigments prevent obesity and diabetes. Anthocyanins are unstable plant pigments that degrade at neutral pH. Accordingly, they have been considered to have no significant bioactivity in vivo. However, we previously reported that anthocyanins...