“We found an improvement in endothelial function which is important for human health, as endothelial dysfunction is linked to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease development,” said Sarah Ardanuy Johnson, from Colorado State University in the US.
“We also found evidence that blueberries improved endothelial function through reductions in oxidative stress in the body,” she said.
Oxidative stress is the imbalance between free radicals and antioxidants in the body and can damage cells and tissues,
which promotes endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease development.
Previous research has demonstrated that polyphenols and polyphenol-rich foods like blueberries can reduce oxidative stress.
“To observe a direct link between reductions in oxidative stress and improvements in endothelial function in humans is exciting and provides insight into how blueberries promote cardiovascular health,” Johnson said.
They performed a randomized clinical trial in 43 estrogen-deficient postmenopausal women aged 45-65 years with elevated blood pressure or stage 1-hypertension.
“We don’t fully understand the health benefits and how they interact in the human body,” Johnson said of blueberries, “but we know that they’re really important to human health.”
The team is exploring the role of the gut microbiome in determining the cardiovascular-protective effects of blueberries and their polyphenols.
Johnson said the team observed increases in blood metabolites that are products of metabolism of anthocyanins (polyphenols found in blueberries that give them their blue color) and metabolism of polyphenols by the gut microbiome.
The key takeaway is that there are benefits to consuming blueberries on a regular basis to help improve cardiovascular health, she said,
adding that foods rich in phytochemicals may also include many fruits and vegetables, cocoa, chocolate, tea, nuts, legumes, whole grains, and spices.
Source: IANS
For all the latest Health News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
Denial of responsibility! NewsBit.us is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
