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The effects of Aronia berry (poly)phenol supplementation on arterial function and the gut microbiome in middle aged men and women: Results from a randomized controlled trial.
Le Sayec, M, Xu, Y, Laiola, M, Gallego, FA, Katsikioti, D, Durbidge, C, Kivisild, U, Armes, S, Lecomte, M, Fança-Berthon, P, et al
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). 2022;41(11):2549-2561
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Over the last decades, Aronia melanocarpa, or black chokeberry, has gained increased attention for its high content of (poly)phenols, and potential protection against chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 12-week aronia berry (poly)phenol consumption on cardiometabolic health and gut microbiome composition in prehypertensive middle-aged adults. This study was a 2-arm, double-blind, parallel randomised controlled trial. Participants (n = 102; 47 men and 55 women) were assigned randomly to Aronia or control groups. Results showed that there were no significant effects in blood pressure (primary outcome), endothelial function or blood lipids. However, there was a significant improvement in 24-hour ambulatory arterial indices and significant changes in gut microbiome richness, functions and composition between Aronia and control groups. Authors conclude that future studies should be conducted to investigate whether aronia supplementation may be effective in other at-risk populations such as hypertensives or people with cardiovascular disease risk.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Berry (poly)phenol consumption has been associated with cardioprotective benefits, however little is known on the role the gut microbiome may play on such health benefits. Our objective was to investigate the effects of aronia berry (poly)phenol consumption on cardiometabolic health and gut microbiome richness and composition in prehypertensive middle-aged men and women. METHODS A total of 102 prehypertensive participants were included in a parallel 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Volunteers were randomly allocated to daily consume an encapsulated (poly)phenol-rich aronia berry extract (Aronia, n = 51) or a matched maltodextrin placebo (Control, n = 51). Blood pressure (BP) and arterial function (office and 24 h), endothelial function (measured as flow-mediated dilation), serum biochemistry (including blood lipids), plasma and urine (poly)phenol metabolites as well as gut microbiome composition through shotgun metagenomic sequencing were monitored over the study period. Relationships between vascular outcomes, (poly)phenol metabolites and gut microbiome were investigated using an integrated multi-levels approach. RESULTS A significant improvement in arterial indices measured as augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) was found in the Aronia compared to Control group (awake Δ PWV = -0.24 m/s; 95% CI: -0.79, -0.01 m/s, P < 0.05; 24 h peripheral Δ AIx = -6.8; -11.2, -2.3, %, P = 0.003; 24 h central Δ AIx = -3.3; -5.5, -1.0, %, P = 0.006). No changes in BP, endothelial function or blood lipids were found following the intervention. Consumption of aronia (poly)phenols led to a significant increase in gut microbiome gene richness and in the abundance of butyrate-producing species such as Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus and Intestinimonas butyriciproducens species, compared to Control group. Results from an approach including metabolomic, metagenomic and clinical outcomes highlighted associations between aronia-derived phenolic metabolites, arterial stiffness, and gut microbiome. CONCLUSIONS Aronia berry (poly)phenol consumption improved arterial function in prehypertensive middle-aged individuals, possibly via modulation of gut microbiome richness and composition based on the associations observed between these parameters. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-randomized trial records held on the NIH ClinicalTrials.gov website (NCT03434574). Aronia Berry Consumption on Blood Pressure.
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Vitamin B12 Status Upon Short-Term Intervention with a Vegan Diet-A Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy Participants.
Lederer, AK, Hannibal, L, Hettich, M, Behringer, S, Spiekerkoetter, U, Steinborn, C, Gründemann, C, Zimmermann-Klemd, AM, Müller, A, Simmet, T, et al
Nutrients. 2019;11(11)
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Veganism is growing in western societies and with it comes an increased risk of vitamin B12 deficiency which is principally found in animal products. Vitamin B12 is essential for multiple biological functions including DNA synthesis, digestive function and detoxification processes. It can take 2-5 years to exhaust natural stores of B12 within the body so deficiency risk is considered safe. This 2017 randomised control trial compared vitamin B12 status in 53 healthy omnivore subjects with 26 participants following an unsupplemented vegan diet for 4 weeks and the remaining 27 participants a meat-rich diet. The aim of the study was to answer two questions; (a) Do vitamin B12 markers respond to short-term dietary intervention with a meat-rich or a plant-based diet? and (b) Do meat-rich and vegan diets have an impact on plasma markers of inflammation and cardiovascular disease? Blood and urine samples were taken before and after the 4-week dietary protocol to also measure vitamin D status, Folate and Homocysteine levels as a marker for inflammation. The serum vitamin B12 levels (indicative of dietary B12) dropped significantly from 362.9 +/- 110.9 ng/mL to 296.1 +/- 94.1 ng/mL in the Vegan Diet group (p < 0.001) and remained stable in the Meat Diet group. Other markers measuring cellular B12 metabolism did not significantly vary. The short-term nature of the trial demonstrated rapid decrease in holo-TC, the bioactive form of vitamin B12 in plasma. The other blood and urinary markers demonstrated benefits to plant-based eating including reduced cholesterol intake and adequate profiles of nutrient and micronutrient status.
Abstract
Vegans are at an increased risk for certain micronutrient deficiencies, foremost of vitamin B12. Little is known about the short-term effects of dietary change to plant-based nutrition on vitamin B12 metabolism. Systemic biomarkers of vitamin B12 status, namely, serum vitamin B12 and holotranscobalamin, may respond quickly to a reduced intake of vitamin B12. To test this hypothesis, 53 healthy omnivore subjects were randomized to a controlled unsupplemented vegan diet (VD, n = 26) or meat-rich diet (MD, n = 27) for 4 weeks. Vitamin B12 status was examined by measurement of serum vitamin B12, holotranscobalamin (holo-TC), methylmalonic acid (MMA) and total plasma homocysteine (tHcy). Holo-TC decreased significantly in the VD compared to the MD group after four weeks of intervention, whereas metabolites MMA and tHcy were unaffected. Body weight remained stable in both groups. VD intervention led to a significant reduction of cholesterol intake, and adequate profiles of nutrient and micronutrient status. Lower intake of vitamin B12 was observed in VD, which was mirrored by a lower concentration of serum vitamin B12 and reduced holo-TC after 4 weeks. Plasma holo-TC may be a fast-responding biomarker to monitor adequate supply of vitamin B12 in plant-based individuals.
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Dietary sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprouts reduce colonization and attenuate gastritis in Helicobacter pylori-infected mice and humans.
Yanaka, A, Fahey, JW, Fukumoto, A, Nakayama, M, Inoue, S, Zhang, S, Tauchi, M, Suzuki, H, Hyodo, I, Yamamoto, M
Cancer prevention research (Philadelphia, Pa.). 2009;2(4):353-60
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Helicobacter pylori infection is strongly associated with stomach cancer. Broccoli sprouts are rich in glucoraphanin, the precursor of sulforaphane and have been shown to be bactericidal against Helicobacter pylori infections. This study aimed to evaluate efficacy of broccoli sprouts in reducing H. pylori infection in high-salt, H. pylori–infected mice and infected humans. 6-wk-old mice were infected with H-Pylori and consumed a high salt diet for 2 months. High-salt diets exaggerate H. pylori–induced gastritis in mice. Mice were randomised into 2 groups receiving either broccoli sprouts in water or plain drinking water. Mice had free food access. 50 H. pylori–positive human volunteers whose endoscopy showed gastritis were randomised to consume 70 g/d of broccoli sprouts or equivalent of alfalfa sprouts for 8 weeks. Self reported compliance (95%) was confirmed by urine sample. In mice consuming the broccoli sprout water, inflammation was reduced, as were the cytokines unregulated by H. pylori infection. In humans, inflammation in the gastric lumen was significantly reduced in the broccoli sprout group only. Both stool and breath markers of H pylori were significantly lower when compared to control. The authors conclude that intake of sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprouts for 2 months reduces H. pylori colonization in mice and improves infection in H pylori positive mice and humans.
Abstract
The isothiocyanate sulforaphane [SF; 1-isothiocyanato-4(R)-methylsulfinylbutane] is abundant in broccoli sprouts in the form of its glucosinolate precursor (glucoraphanin). SF is powerfully bactericidal against Helicobacter pylori infections, which are strongly associated with the worldwide pandemic of gastric cancer. Oral treatment with SF-rich broccoli sprouts of C57BL/6 female mice infected with H. pylori Sydney strain 1 and maintained on a high-salt (7.5% NaCl) diet reduced gastric bacterial colonization, attenuated mucosal expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1beta, mitigated corpus inflammation, and prevented expression of high salt-induced gastric corpus atrophy. This therapeutic effect was not observed in mice in which the nrf2 gene was deleted, strongly implicating the important role of Nrf2-dependent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory proteins in SF-dependent protection. Forty-eight H. pylori-infected patients were randomly assigned to feeding of broccoli sprouts (70 g/d; containing 420 micromol of SF precursor) for 8 weeks or to consumption of an equal weight of alfalfa sprouts (not containing SF) as placebo. Intervention with broccoli sprouts, but not with placebo, decreased the levels of urease measured by the urea breath test and H. pylori stool antigen (both biomarkers of H. pylori colonization) and serum pepsinogens I and II (biomarkers of gastric inflammation). Values recovered to their original levels 2 months after treatment was discontinued. Daily intake of sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprouts for 2 months reduces H. pylori colonization in mice and improves the sequelae of infection in infected mice and in humans. This treatment seems to enhance chemoprotection of the gastric mucosa against H. pylori-induced oxidative stress.