This study investigated the effects and alterations of dihydroquercetin on the growth performance, nutriment metabolism, antioxidant and immune function, and energy substrate utilization in lipopolysaccharide-challenged mice. A total of 0, 50, and 200 mg/kg of dihydroquercetin were intragastrically administered once a day for 21 days. After the pretreatment with dihydroquercetin, each group was subjected to a lipopolysaccharide challenge (except for the control group). After lipopolysaccharide injection, food intake, body weight, metabolic indexes of blood and liver nutrients, blood inflammatory factors, and liver oxidative stress indexes were measured at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h, respectively. Indirect calorimetry analysis was performed by respiratory gas analysis for 48 h to calculate the energy substrate metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Urinary nitrogen excretion was measured to evaluate the urinary protein metabolism to calculate the substrate utilization. The results showed that dihydroquercetin pretreatment can significantly increase the weight gain and average food intake and decrease the mortality rate in lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation mice. Furthermore, dihydroquercetin pretreatment can alleviate the negative effects of lipopolysaccharides by increasing levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and by decreasing the malondialdehyde and serum inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β, nuclear factor κB, and interleukin-6). Dihydroquercetin pretreatment also can relieve nutrient metabolic disorder by increasing blood glucose, serum total protein, and liver glycogen levels and reducing serum and liver triglycerides, serum cholesterol, serum lactate dehydrogenase, and serum urea nitrogen levels. Meanwhile, it increases the relative utilization of carbohydrate, reducing relative utilization of protein and lipid, alleviating the change in energy metabolism pattern from glucose-predominant to lipid-predominant caused by lipopolysaccharide stimulation. In addition, the degree of metabolic pattern transformation depends on the dose of dihydroquercetin supplement. Finally, according to principal component analysis, we found that the inflammation was strongest in the mice at 24 h and was subsequently relieved in the LPS-stimulated group, whereas in the dihydroquercetin-pretreated group, the inflammation was initially relieved. To summarize, dihydroquercetin pretreatment can improve energy metabolism disorder and attenuate the negative effects of lipopolysaccharide challenge in mice from the initial stage of inflammation.

The primary aim was to assess the accuracy of common prediction equations, the Harris-Benedict (HB) and the Mifflin St. Jeor (MSJ) equations, for estimating resting energy expenditure (REE) among people with spinal cord injury (SCI) against actual REE measurements. The secondary aim was to cross-validate the Buchholz et al. energy prediction equation created for people with SCI.

A metabolic cart with canopy was used to measure the actual REE. The HB, MSJ, and the Buchholz et al. equations were used for the prediction of REE.

Thirty-nine participants (31 males and 8 females) were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The REEs significantly differed from one another, F(1.52, 57.68) = 52.04, P < 0.001, where both the HB (M = 1703.06, SD = 265.1) and the MSJ (M = 1628.92, SD = 233.8) energy predictions were significantly higher (P < 0.001) than the measured REE (M = 1394.05, SD = 298.7). In contrast, the Buchholz et al. equation did not differ from the measured REE.

Our data show that the HB and MSJ equations do not accurately predict the energy needs of this community. Using a SCI-specific equation would improve estimates of REE, such as the Buchholz et al. equation. More research into energy equations for this population may help health care professionals better tailor dietary requirements for weight management.