精簡版於2023年 3月17日晴報刊登
淮山中的一種多醣——葡甘露聚糖(Mannoglucan),有保護腸胃壁和維持健康腸胃菌叢的作用。有研究餵飼患潰瘍性結腸炎的小鼠食用淮山葡甘露聚糖後,發現它們的腸道症狀有明顯改善。淮山葡甘露聚糖能抑制血液中的細胞炎症因子如IL-1B、TNF-alpha,亦同時增加維持腸壁結構的緊密連結蛋白的基因表達,從而幫助修復潰瘍的腸壁。研究更指出淮山葡甘露聚糖能減少小鼠腸道中與炎症有關的另枝菌 (Alistipes) 和螺桿菌 (Helicobacter),增加益菌如抗炎的羅斯氏菌(Roseburia)等,從而保護腸胃壁免受病菌感染。亦有研究以抗生素餵飼小鼠引起腹瀉和腸胃菌叢失衡,再餵食不同劑量的淮山。結果發現淮山組別的肚瀉和體重下降症狀有明顯改善,腸道益菌如雙歧桿菌和乳酸桿菌等有所增加,同時減少因服用抗生素而增長的產氣莢膜梭菌 (Clostridium perfringens) 等害菌。
淮山護骨防疏鬆 助緩更年期不適
女性更年期是正常衰老過程,期間卵巢分泌的雌激素(Estrogen)和孕酮(Progesterone)逐漸下降,反映卵巢狀態的濾泡刺激素(Follicle Stimulating Hormone, FSH)則因卵巢功能減弱而大幅上升。而這些賀爾蒙改變會為女性帶來不適症狀,例如潮熱、失眠、焦慮、情緒波動、骨質疏鬆和認知下降等。
有研究利用切除卵巢模擬女性更年期的賀爾蒙及身體狀況,再給大鼠餵飼淮山提取物。結果發現,失去卵巢及雌激素的大鼠,骨質密度明顯下跌、組成骨質的骨小梁亦被破壞,有骨質疏鬆的跡象。而餵飼淮山提取物的一組骨質密度明顯較高,骨小梁亦有明顯的修復。從成骨細胞(Osteoblastic cells)培植研究發現,淮山中的薯蕷皂苷元對成骨細胞的骨膠原產生、骨細胞分化(由細胞組成骨質的過程)、鈣質吸收等都有促進作用。可見淮山對骨骼保健亦有所助益。
山藥提取物可以提高更年期女性體內的雌激素水平,從而改善更年期不適。香港大學中醫學院團隊的小鼠研究發現,淮山中一種具生物活性的蛋白 (DOI蛋白) 可提高雌激素及孕酮的生物合成,從而增加骨質密度,並增加大腦中的腦源性神經營養因子 (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor, BDNF) ,改善認知下降。現時治療更年期綜合症,一般以荷爾蒙替代療法緩解以上症狀,但有研究指出荷爾蒙替代療法可能增加乳腺癌和卵巢癌的風險。而香港大學的研究發現,淮山DOI蛋白並沒有刺激乳腺癌和卵巢癌細胞增生。
一項台灣針對50名更年期女性的研究亦指出,食用山藥6-12個月後,原本隨更年期大幅改變的雌激素及FSH水平得以維持平穩,更年期綜合症如焦慮、失眠、筋骨酸痛等亦有所改善。未來淮山/山藥或有望為舒緩女性更年期症狀提供新的治療方向。
淮山是醫食同源的養生食材,可作為日常保健湯料。益生活益生坊姬松茸雙菇健體湯包和鯊魚骨猴頭菇潤肺湯包中,都加入乾淮山。湯料由專業中醫師悉心配搭,簡單方便,而且每種材料都獨立包裝,乾淨又衛生。如需得到更多淮山的好處,亦可把山藥粉加到益纖蛋白中食用,攝取蛋白質、維持肌肉之餘亦能健脾護骨。
參考資料/延伸閱讀:
<益生第一關>2018/10/26--『中草藥調節腸道菌——淮山』
https://hskgene.com/blogs/probiolife-first/tcm_chinese_yam?_pos=1&_sid=d1ea83154&_ss=r
<益生第一關>2021/03/19--『益菌短鏈脂肪酸 整腸抗炎又補腦』
https://hskgene.com/blogs/probiolife-first/short-chain-fatty-acid?_pos=29&_sid=e88b7241d&_ss=r
<益生第一關>2018/05/25--『健康腸道菌 舒緩「腸易激」(二)』
https://hskgene.com/blogs/probiolife-first/irritable-bowel-syndrome-2?_pos=6&_sid=80f64e2bd&_ss=r
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https://www.unileverfoodsolutions.hk/chef-inspiration/discover-ingredients/Fresh-and-deird-yam.html
Google Images:
淮山功效 chinese yam health benefits
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