High Flavanol Diet Associated With Lower Blood Pressure

AHA Publisher — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 08:00:45 +0000

University of Reading via News-Medical Net – People who consume a diet including flavanol-rich foods and drinks, including tea, apples and berries, could lead to lower blood pressure, according to the first study using objective measures of thousands of UK residents’ diet. The findings, published in Scientific Reports, studied the diet of more than 25,000 people in Norfolk, UK and compared what they ate with their blood pressure. In contrast to most other studies investigating links between nutrition and health, the researchers did not rely on study participants reporting their diet, but instead measured flavanol intake objectively using nutritional biomarkers – indicators of dietary intake, metabolism or nutritional status that are present in our blood. The difference in blood pressure between those with the lowest 10% of flavanol intake and those with the highest 10% of intake was between 2 and 4 mmHg. This is comparable to meaningful changes in blood pressure observed in those following a Mediterranean diet or Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Notably, the effect was more pronounced in participants with hypertension. Professor Gunter Kuhnle, a nutritionist at the University of Reading who led the study said: “Previous studies of large populations have always relied on self-reported data to draw conclusions, but this is the first epidemiological study of this scale to objectively investigate the association between a specific bioactive compound and health. We are delighted to see that in our study, there was also a meaningful and significant association between flavanol consumption and lower blood pressure. “What this study gives us is an objective finding about the association between flavanols – found in tea and some fruits – and blood pressure. This research confirms the results from previous dietary intervention studies and shows that the same results can be achieved with a habitual diet rich in flavanols. In the British diet, the main sources are tea, cocoa, apples and berries. “The methodology of the study is of equal importance. This is one of the largest ever studies to use nutritional biomarkers to investigate bioactive compounds. Using nutritional biomarkers to estimate intake of bioactive food compounds has long been seen as the gold standard for research, as it allows intake to be measured objectively. The development, validation and application of the biomarker was only possible because of the long-term commitment of all collaborators. In contrast to self-reported dietary data, nutritional biomarkers can address the huge variability in food composition. We can therefore confidently attribute the associations we observed to flavanol intake.” An international team from the University of Reading, Cambridge University, the University of California Davis, and Mars, Incorporated studied 25,618 participants from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer (EPIC) Norfolk study and found that the biggest difference was observed in participants with the highest blood pressure. This suggests if the general public increased its flavanol intake, there could be an overall reduction in cardiovascular disease incidence. This study adds key insights to a growing body of evidence supporting the benefits of dietary flavanols in health and nutrition. But, perhaps even more exciting was the opportunity to apply objective biomarkers of flavanol intake at a large scale. This enabled the team to avoid the significant limitations that come with past approaches which rely on estimating intake based on self-reported food consumption data and the shortcomings of current food composition databases.” Hagen Schroeter, Chief Science Officer, Mars Edge The study was supported with an unrestricted grant from Mars, Incorporated, and two co-authors are employees of Mars. The study worked with the EPIC Norfolk population cohort, which acknowledges funding from the Medical Research Council and Cancer Research UK. To read the original article click here.

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Quercetin with Vitamin C Together More Effective at Fighting Inflammation

AHA Publisher — Sun, 10 May 2020 07:00:52 +0000

Sara Middleton via NaturalHealth365 – By this point in the novel coronavirus pandemic, the medical community has learned some surprising things about COVID-19. For example, most people think about the disease as chiefly a respiratory problem. But in severe cases, multiple organs within the body are being damaged, including the liver, heart, and kidneys. What doctors don’t fully know is if this multi-organ damage is due to the virus itself or due to immune-mediated inflammation due to the viral infection. One thing we do know is that powerful and natural anti-inflammatory agents already exist (and don’t require millions of taxpayer-funded dollars in Big Pharma research, either). The ability to fight excessive inflammation is actually one of the main vitamin C health benefits – and research also suggests another natural antioxidant called quercetin also plays a starring role. Unpopular Antioxidant Proves to Be a “Winner” in Fighting Inflammation, According to Research Quercetin (said “kwur-SEH-tn”) is a plant-based antioxidant known as a flavanol. You can find it in foods like berries, apples, grapes, citrus, buckwheat, onions, black tea, kale, tomatoes, broccoli, and red wine. This powerful little nutrient offers a long list of health benefits, including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral activities. So it may come as no surprise that when you combine quercetin with another known natural antioxidant, vitamin C, the health benefits passed to you are magnified. After all, nutrients don’t work in isolation, but in combination and cooperation with other nutrients – a real-world example of the saying “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” This is exactly what a team of researchers discovered in 2013 when they investigated the health benefits of quercetin and vitamin C. In their randomized double-blind clinical trial, published in Journal of Research in Medical Sciences, the researchers split 60 healthy young men into one of four groups. Each group received a different daily supplement intervention for 8 weeks: 500 milligram (mg) of quercetin 250 mg of vitamin C 500 mg of quercetin PLUS 250 mg of vitamin C, or Placebo After 8 weeks, the researchers discovered that the men who received the most benefit (as measured by a reduction in cell-damaging oxidative stress and chronic inflammation) were those who received quercetin plus vitamin C. These men had levels of an inflammatory biomarker called high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) decrease by almost 50 percent over the course of the study. The men in the placebo group saw decreased hs-CRP, too, by just over a third – still impressive, but significantly lower. The men receiving the quercetin plus vitamin C also saw improvements in another marker of inflammation called interleukin-6 (IL-6). The researchers hypothesize (and point to earlier data that supports their hypothesis) that vitamin C optimizes quercetin’s antioxidant properties and improves its bioavailability – hence, the making these nutrients even more effective when provided in combination rather than alone. Could Quercetin Plus Vitamin C Be Helpful in Affecting the Biomarkers of Inflammation Widespread inflammation and elevated inflammatory biomarkers have been linked to everything from cancer and Alzheimer’s disease to obesity and accelerated aging. So, finding natural ways to quell the “fire” of chronic inflammation has always been of great interest to us. But in the age of COVID-19 – a pandemic that’s been linked to a widespread and over-the-top inflammatory response in the body – the potential power of quercetin and vitamin C should not be overlooked. Consider this: one March 2020 study out of China (yet to be peer-reviewed) suggests that IL-6 may be useful for monitoring disease severity in people afflicted with COVID-19. And doctors in the U.S., China, and elsewhere are already providing high dose intravenous vitamin C to COVID-19 patients. This suggests to us that quercetin – either in food or supplement form, or both – may further help control the inflammation and cell damage caused by SARS-CoV-2. Of course, neither quercetin nor vitamin C (or any other agent, for that matter) has been proven to prevent illness, much less COVID-19. For example, a 2010 randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial involving over 1,000 subjects found no significant difference in rates of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) between subjects taking either 500 mg/day of quercetin, 1000 mg/day of quercetin, or a placebo after 12 weeks. But, and this is an important but, the subjects taking 1,000 mg/day did see a statistically significant reduction in number of sick days and symptom severity when they did experience upper respiratory illness. Bottom line? It’s not possible to say yet whether quercetin or vitamin C can prevent or treat COVID-19. But they both can support a healthy immune system and reduce inflammation, which may be key factors in helping you and your loved ones stay healthier during the pandemic. In supplement form, you may aim for 500 to 1,000 mg per day of quercetin and up to 2,000 mg per day for vitamin C. Just talk to an integrative physician before adding these supplements, since you may need more (or less) depending on your health and goals. In the meantime, focus on always improving your diet and sleep habits, reducing stress in your life and staying physically active. These are great ways to reduce the risk of bacterial and viral infections. To read the original article click here.

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flavanol Archives - Amazing Health Advances

High Flavanol Diet Associated With Lower Blood Pressure

Quercetin with Vitamin C Together More Effective at Fighting Inflammation