Production of Highly Purified Imidazole Dipeptides from Animal Extracts and Development of Foods to Prevent Lifestyle-Related Diseases

Imidazole dipeptides are believed to have the ability to alleviate fatigue and improve cognitive function. We developed a production procedure to isolate and purify imidazole dipeptides from animal extracts. The highly purified imidazole dipeptides obtained by this method are almost tasteless, odorless, and free of impurities such as sodium and creatinine, making them functional food ingredients. We conducted a clinical study using the highly purified imidazole dipeptides and found that ingestion of a drink containing three antioxidants: 400 mg imidazole dipeptides, 300 mg ascorbic acid, and 20 mg ferulic acid for 8 weeks improved the oxidative injury of peripheral blood lymphocyte DNA in middle-aged and elderly men. Furthermore, elderly persons with mild cognitive impairment who were given imidazole dipeptides at a daily dose of 1 g for 12 weeks showed improved scores on both the global clinical dementia rating and the mini-mental state test. From these findings, it was suggested that highly purified imidazole dipeptides may be a potential food ingredient for preventing lifestyle-related diseases.