Polyphenol-rich cranberry juice may boost heart health by alleviating arterial stiffness, says a new study from the Boston and Tufts Universities.

Double-strength cranberry containing 835 milligrams of total polyphenols and 94 mg of anthocyanins was associated with improvements in a measure of arterial stiffness called carotid femoral pulse wave velocity, according to findings published in theAmerican Journal of Clinical Nutrition. On the other hand, the Boston-based scientists report no benefits from cranberry juice consumption were observed for other measures of vascular or cardiovascular function, including blood pressure or brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, a measure of endothelial dysfunction since a low value is indicative of a blood vessel’s inability to relax. “We did observe a highly significant effect of cranberry juice on stiffness of the central aorta, which is increasingly recognized as an important measure of vascular function with relevance to cardiovascular disease,” wrote the researchers, led by Boston University’s Joe Vita, MD. “Overall, our results may provide further support for the American Heart Association recommendation that cardiovascular disease risk may be reduced by a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, including cranberries,” they added. Established and emerging health benefits Cranberry is most famous for its ability to fight urinary tract infections, something that has led to almost one third of parents in the US giving it to their children, according to a recent study. In 2004 France became the first country to approve a health claim for the North American cranberry species Vaccinium macrocarpon, which states that it can‘help reduce the adhesion of certain E.coli bacteria to the urinary tract walls’. Other health conditions that may benefit from cranberry include stomach health, with several reports indicating that the berry’s constituents may inhibit the adhesion of Helicobacter pylori in the stomach. H. pylori is the only bacteria that can survive in the acidic environment of the stomach and known to cause peptic ulcers and gastritis. In addition studies have suggested that proanthocyanidin-rich cranberry extracts may inhibit the growth and spread of human oesophageal adenocarcinoma (a cancer in glandular tissue), or may prevent colon cancer via an anti-inflammatory mechanism.

Study details The researchers performed two studies: The first was an acute pilot study with no placebo involving 15 participants; the second was a chronic placebo-controlled crossover study with 44 participants with coronary artery disease. In the acute, non-placebo controlled, pilot study, the researchers reported that cranberry juice (480 mL) was associated with improvements in both brachial artery flow-mediated dilation, from 7.7 percent before ingestion to 8.7 percent four hours after ingestion, as well as digital pulse amplitude tonometry ratio from to 0.10 to 0.23. However, in the placebo-controlled, cross-over study, no such changes were observed. Dr Vita and his researchers did record a reduction in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity from 8.3 to 7.8 m/s. “We emphasize that the research beverage contained twice the amount of cranberry juice in commercially available cranberry juice and that the amount of anthocyanins consumed during the study greatly exceeded the average daily intake in the United States,” noted the researchers. “Additional studies will be needed to determine how cranberry juice reduces central aortic stiffness, but our finding of improved pulse wave velocity without a change in endothelial function may be consistent with an effect at the level of the arterial wall or a change in sympathetic tone,” they added. The study was funded by cranberry giant Ocean Spray and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Source: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Published online ahead of print, doi: 10.3945/ajcn.110.004242
“Effects of cranberry juice consumption on vascular function in patients with coronary artery disease”
Authors: M.M. Dohadwala, M. Holbrook, N.M. Hamburg, S.M. Shenouda, W.B. Chung, M. Titas, M.A. Kluge, N. Wang, J. Palmisano, P.E. Milbury, J.B. Blumberg, J.A. Vita

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A number of previous studies report of science cardiovascular benefits of garlic. Karin Ried, from the University of Adelaide (Australia), and colleagues have found beneficial effects for aged garlic extracts in reducing high blood pressure (hypertension).  The team studied 50 people with treated but uncontrolled hypertension. Subjects either received a daily dose of aged garlic extract of 3.84 grams (equivalent to 2.5 grams of fresh garlic), or placebo, for 12 weeks.  They found a drop in systolic blood pressure of 10.2 mmHg, in the subjects who took the garlic extract, while no effects on diastolic blood pressure were observed. The researchers conclude that: “Our trial suggests that aged garlic extract is superior to placebo in lowering systolic blood pressure similarly to current first line medications in patients with treated but uncontrolled hypertension.”

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Chronic inflammation is suggested to be a primary factor in progressive bone loss and bone structural deterioration, with oxidative stress and overproduction of pro-inflammatory compounds , most notably tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).   Previous studies have identified certain compounds as having the capacity to inhibit inflammation by suppressing TNF-alpha expression, and thus may offer therapeutic value in the prevention and treatment of chronic inflammation-induced bone loss. Chwan-Li Shen, from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Texas, USA), and colleagues investigated the effects of green tea polyphenols and alfacalcidol, a form of Vitamin D, on bone microstructure and strength along with possible mechanisms in a rat model.  The team found that both green tea polyphenols and alfacalcidol individually reversed lipopolysaccharide-induced changes in bone structure, and the combination of nutrients helped to sustain bone micro-architecture and strength.  The researchers conclude that: “A rotective impact of [green tea polyphenols]and alfacalcidol in bone microarchitecture during chronic inflammation may be due to a suppression of TNF-alpha.”

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Obesity and Type II Diabetes Mellitus are conditions that often associate with elevated levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite, and frequently accompanied by liver disease. A specific type of fatty liver disease, known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), affecting 4% of the US adult population, can cause liver fibrosis and possibly cirrhosis, liver cancer and death.  Anping Chen, from Saint Louis University (Missouri, USA), and colleagues assessed the effect of curcumin on the role of high levels of leptin in causing liver fibrosis. The team found that high levels of leptin activate hepatic stellate cells, which are the cells that cause overproduction of the collagen protein, a major feature of liver fibrosis. The researchers found that among other activities, curcumin eliminated the effects of leptin on activating hepatic stellate cells, which short-circuited the development of liver damage.  Explaining that: “Curcumin eliminated stimulatory effects of leptin on [hepatic stellate cell] activation …  inducing expression of genes relevant to lipid accumulation and elevating the level of intracellular lipids,” the team concludes that: “These results provide novel insights into mechanisms of curcumin in inhibiting leptin-induced [hepatic stellate cell] activation.”

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Recent studies have suggested that total coffee and tea consumption may inversely associate with risk of glioma, tumors that originate in the brain’s supportive tissue, and data exists that suggests that caffeine may slow the invasive growth of glioblastoma tumors, a form of aggressive primary brain cancer.  Dominique S. Michaud, from Imperial College (United Kingdom), and colleagues studied the association between coffee, tea, or caffeinated beverages and glioma risk, engaging data collected from over half a million people enrolled in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study.  The researchers found that daily consumption of more than 100 milliliters (mL; 3.4 ounces)  of tea or coffee significantly reduced glioma risk (as compared consuming less than 100 ml per day).  Concluding that: “In this large cohort study, we observed an inverse association between total coffee and tea consumption and risk of glioma that was consistent with the findings of a recent study,” the team suggests that: “These findings, if further replicated in other studies, may provide new avenues of research on gliomas.”

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Previous studies have suggested a range of health risks associated with carrying extra weight around the midsection.  James Banks, from the RAND Corporations (California, USA), and colleagues have examined the differences that may contribute to different rates of diabetes in the American population as compared to Britains.   The team reports that middle-aged and older American men and women have almost twice the rate of diabetes of men and women in England, with the difference not explained by conventional risk factors including age, smoking, social position and body mass index (BMI).  The researchers assessed data on subjects, ages 52 to 85 years, enrolled in the 1999–2006 American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the 2004 English Longitudinal Study of Aging, tracking the incidence of disease and analyzing anthropometric measures of BMI, height and waist circumference.  The team found that the older American population has much higher rates of diabetes than the English population, with waist circumference accounting for 75% of the country differences for women and 38% among men.   The researchers conclude that: “Higher rates of diabetes in the US old-age population than in England were largely accounted for by raised waist circumference and not BMI differences, especially among women.”

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Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidant compounds, particularly flavonoids, and previous studies have demonstrated the food’s beneficial effects on blood pressure and endothelial function.  Luc Djousse, from Harvard Medical School (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues studied the effects of total chocolate intake on coronary heart disease.  The team studied 4,970 men and women, ages 25 to 93 years, surveying for frequency of dark chocolate consumption and assessing for the onset of coronary heart disease.  The researchers found evidence suggesting an inverse association between frequency of chocolate consumption and coronary heart disease: specifically, consumption of chocolate more than five times a week was associated with 57% lower prevalence of coronary heart disease, as compared to those subjects who did not consume chocolate.   The team concludes that: “These data suggest that consumption of chocolate is inversely related with prevalent [coronary heart disease] in a general United States population.”

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Blueberries are rich in flavonoids, a type of antioxidant compound, and in-particular the antioxidants known as anthocyanins and flavanols. William T. Cefalu, from Louisiana State University (Louisiana, USA), and colleagues enrolled 32 obese, non-diabetic, and insulin-resistant men and women, average age of 51.5 years and an average BMI of 37.4 kg/m2, in a six-week long study., Subjects either received a smoothie containing 22.5 grams of blueberry bioactives or a placebo blend equal nutritional value. Subjects consumed two smoothies daily for six weeks. At the end of the study, the team found that 67% of subjects who consumed the blueberry smoothie experienced at least a 10% or greater favorable change in insulin sensitivity. The researchers propose that: “Daily dietary supplementation with bioactives from whole blueberries improved insulin sensitivity in obese, nondiabetic, and insulin-resistant participants.”

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Drinking higher amounts of milk or eating other dairy foods may help you win the battle of the bulge, according to new research published online in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Adults who ate or drank the highest amount of dairy per day — about 12 ounces of milk or 580 milligrams of dairy calcium — at six months lost about 12 pounds at the end of the two-year study. People who got the least amount of calcium from dairy foods — about 150 milligrams of dairy calcium, or half of a glass of milk per day — lost 7 pounds after two years. Higher levels of vitamin D in the blood were also linked with successful weight loss, the study showed.

More than 300 overweight men and women aged 40 to 65 followed a low-fat diet, a low-carb diet, or a Mediterranean-style diet. All foods were readily available in the cafeteria at their workplace.

Participants filled out questionnaires regarding how many dairy products (and other foods) they ate or drank. The dairy section comprised 12 foods, such as low- and regular-fat milk, chocolate milk, low- and regular-fat yogurt, and yellow and white hard cheeses. Researchers also measured participants’ blood levels of vitamin D and body mass index (BMI).

“Our study suggests that both higher dairy calcium intake and increased [blood] vitamin D are related to greater diet-induced weight loss,” conclude the researchers, who were led by Danit R. Shahar, of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Beer-Sheva, Israel.

Exactly how — or if — dairy foods aid in weight loss is not fully understood. Several theories exist, including the possibility that eating more calcium results in losing more fat via the stool, the study researchers say.

Vitamin D and Weight Loss

Overweight participants had lower blood levels of vitamin D when the study began, but vitamin D levels increased among those who lost more weight. The higher the blood levels of vitamin D, the greater the weight loss, the study showed.

Vitamin D is also known as the sunshine vitamin because our bodies make it when exposed to sunlight. Recent studies have linked vitamin D deficiency to a host of medical problems, including heart disease and certain cancers.

“Low vitamin D is associated with weight gain, and raising vitamin D is looking more and more like it is able to help with weight loss,” says Vincent Pera, MD, director of the Miriam Hospital Weight Management Program in Providence, R.I.

“I am more and more convinced that there is something helpful about vitamin D at regulating weight,” he says.

“Milk is a great source of vitamin D, and it is also taking the place of other foods that are higher in fat and calories,” he tells WebMD.

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Researchers from the University of Georgia have found that certain varieties of sorghum bran (Sorghum bicolor) contain significantly greater amounts of antioxidants than the popular superfoods blueberries and pomegranate. Diana Hartle and colleagues determined the level of polyphenolic compounds, antioxidants which naturally occur in plants, in black and sumac varieties of sorghum bran, both of which contain high levels of tannins. Results showed that the levels of polyphenolic compounds in these high-tannin varieties ranged from 23 to 62 mg of polyphenolics per gram. In comparison, blueberries contain 5 mg of polyphenolics per gram, while pomegranate juice contains just 2 to 3.5 mg per gram. The researchers also investigated whether different varieties of sorghum (two low-tannin and two high-tannin) were able to reduce inflammation in mice. Results showed that the high-tannin varieties (black and sumac) possessed significant anti-inflammatory activity. “Since most human chronic disease states are associated with chronic inflammation and high oxidative stress, a food ingredient such as sorghum bran could potentially make certain processed foods better for a healthy diet,” concluded study co-author Diane Hartle. The Great Plains area of the U.S. is the largest worldwide producer of sorghum, the researchers believe that the combination of its low price and high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties will make it a very useful and inexpensive nutritional food additive.

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