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Effects of Pomegranate Juice on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: a Double-Blinded, Randomized Crossover Controlled Trial

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Abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate the simultaneous effect of pomegranate juice on components of the metabolic syndrome, including high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) as an inflammatory index and glycemic and lipid profile indices in patients with metabolic syndrome. In a double- blind 2*2 crossover study, 30 individuals suffering from metabolic syndrome received a daily dose of 500 mL pomegranate juice for a period of one week. After one week of wash out period, they received a placebo for one week. Lipid profile, blood glucose control indices including fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and hs-CRP were measured at the beginning and end of the study. To analyze the data, a repeated measure analysis of variance and a t-test were performed. The results indicated that in comparison to the placebo, pomegranate juice was more effective in reducing the systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.00) and hs-CRP (p = 0.018). The level of triglyceride (p = 0.030) and very low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (VLDL-C) (p = 0.014) were increased after the consumption of pomegranate juice, as opposed to the baseline condition. The rest of lipid profile, fasting blood glucose (FBS), insulin, and HOMA-IR of the participants did not show any significant difference. Natural pomegranate juice supplementation lowered the level of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in patients with metabolic syndrome as well as their blood hs-CRP. However, it also increased their triglyceride and VLDL-C.

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Abbreviations

ACE:

Angiotensin converting enzyme

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

DPPHsc:

2, 2-diphenil-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity

FBS:

Fasting blood glucose

HDL-C:

High-density lipoproteins cholesterol

HOMA-IR:

Homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance

Hs-CRP:

High sensitivity C-reactive protein

IL-6:

Interleukin-6

LDL-C:

Low-density lipoproteins cholesterol

Ta:

Total acidity

TNF-α:

Tumor necrosis factor-α

TSS:

Total soluble solids

VLDL-C:

Very low-density lipoproteins cholesterol

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Acknowledgements

This manuscript extracted from a master’s thesis in Nutrition and the authors would like to thank the Urmia University of Medical Sciences for providing the necessary facilities and financial support. We also feel obliged to express our gratitude to Dr. Parastu Dorrimanesh for editing the manuscript and to all those participating in this study for their sincere cooperation.

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Correspondence to Mohammad Alizadeh.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

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This research study was carried out by the financial support from Urmia University of Medical Sciences.

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Moazzen, H., Alizadeh, M. Effects of Pomegranate Juice on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: a Double-Blinded, Randomized Crossover Controlled Trial. Plant Foods Hum Nutr 72, 126–133 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-017-0605-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11130-017-0605-6

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