Supplementation with hydroxytyrosol and punicalagin improves early atherosclerosis markers. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Supplementation with Hydroxytyrosol and Punicalagin Improves Early Atherosclerosis Markers Involved in the Asymptomatic Phase of Atherosclerosis in the Adult Population: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial.
Nutrients. 2019 Mar 16 ;11(3). Epub 2019 Mar 16. PMID: 30884808
Rebeca Quirós-Fernández
Hydroxytyrosol (HT) and Punicalagin (PC) exert cardioprotective and anti-atherosclerotic effects. This study evaluates the effect of oral supplementation with HT and PC (SAx) on early atherosclerosis markers in middle-aged, seemingly healthy adults. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, crossover trial was performed for 20 weeks. There were two treatment sequences (Placebo/SAx, n = 41; SAx/Placebo, n = 43) for which the intervention periods (Placebo and SAx) were 8 weeks long, followed by a 4-week wash out period. The supplement was composed of 9.9 mg of HT and 195 mg of PC, and the placebo was composed of maltodextrin. SAx increased endothelial function (Flow-mediated dilatation [FMD]: 2.36%;<0.001) in the endothelial dysfunction subgroup compared to the placebo (2.36± 3.9 vs. 0.76 ± 3.5%,<0.05). SAx also reduced oxLDL by -28.74 ng/mL (<0.05) in subjects with higher levels of oxLDL, which was an improvement compared with the placebo (-28.74± 40.2 vs. 25.64 ± 93.8 ng/mL,<0.001). The prehypertension and hypertension subgroups exhibited decreased systolic (-15.75± 9.9 mmHg;<0.001) and diastolic (-6.36± 8.7 mmHg;<0.001) blood pressure after SAx consumption. Moreover, the systolic prehypertension and hypertension subgroups presented significant differences in systolic blood pressure compared to the placebo (-15.75± 9.9 vs. -2.67 ± 12.0 mmHg,<0.05). In conclusion, the supplement exerted anti-atherosclerotic effects by improving endothelial function, blood pressure, and levels of circulating oxLDL, especially for persons in whom these parameters were altered.