Speaking of the new health care products this year, sesamein is definitely on the list, but many health foods always recognize the effectiveness of the great products. What Smile Pharmacist Network wants to share with you this week is the role of "sesamin". I hope to provide information to everyone to make correct judgments and choices.

1. What is sesamein?

Sesamin refers to the main representative ingredient of sesame lipid-soluble antioxidant group sesame (Lignans), which contains 0.5% to 1.2%. Currently, research has found that it has strong antioxidant effects, which has positive help to human blood pressure and blood lipids. On the other hand, it can also enhance liver function. However, sesamein accounts for less than 1% of the sesame content, so it is not easy to eat sesame seeds alone to achieve health benefits. For those who want to achieve daily health care effects, it is recommended to take extracted and purified sesamein health foods.

2. The use of sesamin

Sesamein has been given many magical effects under the influence of the manufacturer, but most of them are animalistic experiments and have not been proved by human body. Therefore, I smiled and called on the public to consult relevant professionals before purchasing before choosing sesamein products.

Theory, sesamin can inhibit delta-5-desaturase (the rate-limiting enzyme that promotes fatty acids), and inhibiting delta-5-desaturase will reduce the concentration of EPA and AA in the blood.

In a 1996 human study experiment, it showed that taking 64.8 mg sesamin and 328 mg vitamin E (test group) daily was more likely to be taken than taking 328 mg vitamin E population (control group) daily, and their overall total sterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) showed a significant decline in overall sterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) while the control group did not show any decline. Combined with other animal tests, the article stated that the effect of sesamin lowering blood lipids may be related to its inhibition of delta-5-desaturase, HMG-CoA reducingase, acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) enzymes. 【1】

In addition to the regulation of blood lipids, sesameins can induce the performance of nitric oxide synthetase in the endothelial tissue, so it is also helpful for contraction and pressure. A 2009 double-blind cross-human test showed that taking 60 mg of sesamin every day for 4 weeks could clearly reduce the contraction pressure by 3.5 mmHg/supplementation pressure by 1.9 mmHg [2]. Maybe you may feel indifferent when you see this data. Statistical studies have shown that a decrease in contraction pressure by 2-3mmHg can reduce the mortality rate of coronary heart disease by 4% and the mortality rate of middle-aged middle-aged wind. 【3】

Animal experiments have found that sesamin can reduce liver damage caused by alcohol or carbon tetrachloride through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, so the liver protection effect of sesamin is also attracting attention. Similar benefits have also been seen in human studies. The study found that taking 260 mg Schisandra extract and 10 mg sesamin every day can improve liver function and reduce liver index ASL/ALT. [4]

Another major mechanism is the inhibition of vitamin E-ω hydroxylation (Tocopherol-ω-hydroxylation) (this is the main step of vitamin E reinforcing rate limiting). Oral sesamin can increase the concentration of vitamin E in the blood and tissues by inhibiting the expulsion of vitamin E, especially gamma-based vitamin E (γ tocopherol and γ tocotrienol), so sesamin can also improve the body's antioxidant ability.

As for the efficacy of sesamin to help sleep, a study published in Global Journal of Health Science on the antioxidant and improvement of fatigue in daily life by sesamin and vitamin E supplements was published in 2015. It mentioned that taking 10 mg of sesamin and 55 mg of α-vitamin E a day for 8 consecutive weeks is helpful for sleep. [5] But let me explain with a smile that there are currently very few sesamin and vitamin E that helps sleep, and it is not enough to support its benefits for helping sleep. Therefore, if you want to have good sleep quality, regular exercise and maintain a happy body and mind are the best strategies.

As for other physiological effects such as prevention of Parkinson's disease, estrogen regulating effects, and fat burning, no human clinical trials have been conducted, and are limited to animal sexual trials. Overall, sesamin can enhance the antioxidant effect of vitamin E by reducing the healing of vitamin E.

How much sesame seeds should be eaten? Due to limited human research data, there is no recommended dose, but if you want to increase the content of vitamin E in your body to increase its antioxidant capacity, you must take about 100-150 mg of sesamin.

3. Position of Smiling Pharmacist

There are still too few human studies on sesamin. Preliminary studies show that they are helpful for cardiovascular health care (blood pressure and blood lipids) and liver health care. The health benefits of blood pressure and lipids are not as good as spermine or red koji, and the health benefits of liver are not strong, but overall, sesame can have comprehensive facultative cardiovascular health, liver and antioxidant benefits, and are highly edible for human consumption.