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Effects of Pomegranate Juice Supplementation on Pulse Wave Velocity and Blood Pressure in Healthy Young and Middle-aged Men and Women

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Abstract

Pomegranate juice may improve cardiovascular risk because of its content of antioxidant polyphenols. We conducted a randomized placebo-controlled parallel study to examine the effect of pomegranate juice on pulse wave velocity (PWV), blood pressure (BP) and plasma antioxidant status (ferric reducing power; FRAP) in 51 healthy adults (30–50 years). Participants consumed 330 ml/day of pomegranate juice or control drink for four weeks. Measurements were made at baseline and at four weeks. There was no effect of the intervention on PWV (P = 0.694) and plasma FRAP (P = 0.700). However, there was a significant fall in systolic blood pressure (−3.14 mmHg, P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (−2.33 mmHg P < 0.001) and mean arterial pressure (−2.60 mmHg, P < 0.001). Change in weight was similar in the two groups over the intervention period (P = 0.379). The fall in BP was not paralleled by changes in concentration of serum angiotensin converting enzyme. We conclude that pomegranate juice supplementation has benefits for BP in the short term, but has no effect on PWV. The mechanism for the effect is uncertain.

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Abbreviations

PWV:

Pulse wave velocity

BP:

Blood pressure

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

MAP:

Mean arterial pressure

NO:

Nitric oxide

ACE:

Angiotensin converting enzyme

FRAP:

Ferric reducing power

BMI:

Body mass index

SD:

Standard deviation

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Acknowledgements

AL and MEB designed the study and wrote the manuscript. JR carried out the statistical analysis. HH and WL were responsible for data collection. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. We thank The Pure Juice Company Ltd. for supplying the pomegranate juice and Dr. Kritika Mahadevan from Sheffield Hallam University for measuring the phenolic content of the pomegranate juice. We are grateful to all our volunteers for their time and commitment.

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  1. Anthony Lynn

    Present address: Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Nutrition Unit, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK

    Anthony Lynn, Hiba Hamadeh, Wing Chi Leung & Margo E. Barker

  2. Corporate Information and Computing Services, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, UK

    Jean M. Russell

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Correspondence to Anthony Lynn.

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Lynn, A., Hamadeh, H., Leung, W.C. et al. Effects of Pomegranate Juice Supplementation on Pulse Wave Velocity and Blood Pressure in Healthy Young and Middle-aged Men and Women. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 67, 309–314 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-012-0295-z

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