Low-polyphenol Diet Research Articles

Effect on Different Foods and Beverages on Lipoprotein Oxidizability

Text: A research study of a group of Spaniards showed the consumption of olive oil resulted in post-prandial LDL that was protected from oxidation and contained bound polyphenols(Free Rad Biol Med.,2006). This study sought to determine if a variety of high polyphenol content foods would lower the oxidation of LDL and VLDL. A small sample of subjects ingested a low polyphenol diet for two days and collected urine samples and fasting lipid profiles. They then randomly were given high polyphenol foods as well as placebo with baseline and two hour blood sampling being done. The plasmas and aliquots of urine were stored and LDL and VLDL extracted and subjected to HPLC with electrochemical detection to determine bound phenols. Urine was analyzed for creatine and polyphenols using Folin colorimetry. This study provided baseline data that these high polyphenol food products may provide protection from cardiovascular disease through a reduction in the atheroschlerotic process.

Consumption of both black tea and green tea results in an increase in the excretion of hippuric acid into urine

A major portion of the catechins in green tea is not absorbed in the small intestine. Bacteria in the colon convert nonabsorbed catechins into simpler phenolic compounds, which may also be absorbed. During the production of black tea, most catechins are polymerized to complex molecules called thearubigins. Little is known about the microbial degradation of these complex polyphenols, but hippuric acid has been identified as a major excretion product associated with black tea consumption. To investigate whether green tea and black tea have the same metabolic fate in humans. Seventeen healthy male volunteers were studied with a randomized, full-crossover design. Each intervention period lasted 4 d, ie, a 2-d run-in period with a low-polyphenol diet followed by a 2-d treatment period. Volunteers consumed a daily dose of 6 g green tea solids, 6 g black tea solids, or 360 mg caffeine. Intervention periods were separated by a 10-d washout period. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected during the second day of each treatment period. Hippuric acid was analyzed with HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry. The mean excretion of urinary hippuric acid during black tea and green tea consumption was 3.75 +/- 0.28 mmol/24 h and 4.22 +/- 0.28 mmol/24 h, respectively (95% CI for the difference: -0.37 to +1.30 mmol/24 h). The hippuric acid excretion during the control treatment was much lower (1.89 +/- 0.28 mmol/24 h; P < 0.0001, compared with both black tea and green tea). The ingestion of either green tea or black tea results in a major increase in the excretion of hippuric acid into urine.

Chocolate Consumption, Fecal Water Antioxidant Activity, and Hydroxyl Radical Production

As part of a larger study into the effects of polyphenols derived from chocolate on bowel health we have compared the effects of consumption of chocolate containing either 200 mg of flavanols and related procyanidins or a similar chocolate containing less than 10 mg of polyphenols on fecal free radical production and antioxidant activity in 18 volunteers. In a double-blind crossover trail volunteers consumed chocolate for two 4-wk periods separated by a 4-wk washout period. During the time the volunteers consumed the chocolate they also consumed a low-polyphenol diet. Free radical production in the fecal water was lowered from 122 ± 10 βmol/l/h to 94 ± 9 βmol/l/h (P = 0.009) when the high procyanidin chocolate diet was consumed and from 117 ± 14 βmol/l/h to 86 ± 12 βmol/l/h when the low procyanidin chocolate was consumed (P = 0.014). Fecal water antioxidant capacity measured by either the Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity or ferric reducing ability of plasma procedure was not significantly affected. Consumption of either chocolate reduced the production of free radicals in fecal water. This suggests that some component of the chocolate other than the flavanols and related procyanidins may have been effective.

The role of polyphenolic compounds in the diet as inhibitors of platelet function.

Platelets play a substantial role in cardiovascular disease, and for many years there has been a search for dietary componentsthat are able to inhibit platelet function and therefore decrease the risk of cardiovasculardisease. Platelets can be inhibited by alcohol, dietary fats and some antioxidants, including agroup of compounds, the polyphenols, found in fruits and vegetables. A number of these compounds have been shown to inhibit platelet function both in vitro and in vivo. In the present study the effects of the hydroxycinnamates and the flavonoid quercetin on platelet activation and cell signalling in vitro were investigated. The hydroxycinnamates inhibited platelet function, although not at levels that can be achieved in human plasma by dietary intervention. However, quercetin inhibited platelet aggregation at levels lower than those previously reported. Quercetin was also found to inhibit intracellular Ca mobilisation and whole-cell tyrosine protein phosphorylation in platelets, which are both processes essential for platelet activation. The effect of polyphenols on platelet aggregation in vivo was also investigated. Twenty subjects followed a low-polyphenol diet for 3 d before and also during supplementation. All subjects were supplemented with a polyphenol-rich meal every lunchtime for 5d. Platelet aggregation and plasma flavonols were measured at baseline and after 5d of dietary supplementation. Total plasma flavonoids increased significantly after the dietary intervention period (P = 0.001). However, no significant changes in ex vivo platelet aggregation were observed. Further investigation of the effects of individual polyphenolic compoundson platelet function, both in vitro and in vivo, is required in order to elucidate their role in the relationship between diet and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Fruit juice consumption modulates antioxidative status, immune status and DNA damage

Polyphenolic compounds exert a variety of physiological effects in vitro including antioxidative, immunomodulatory and antigenotoxic effects. In a randomized crossover study in healthy men on a low-polyphenol diet, we determined the effects of 2 polyphenol-rich juices (330 ml/d) supplemented for 2 weeks on bioavailability of polyphenols, markers of antioxidative and immune status, and reduction of DNA damage. Juices provided 236 mg (A) and 226 mg (B) polyphenols with cyanidin glycosides (A) and epigallocatechin gallate (B) as major polyphenolic ingredients. There was no accumulation of plasma polyphenols after two weeks of juice supplementation. In contrast, plasma malondialdehyde decreased with time during juice interventions. Moreover, juice consumption also increased lymphocyte proliferative responsiveness, with no difference between the two juices. Interleukin-2 secretion by activated lymphocytes and the lytic activity of natural killer cells were significantly increased by both juices. Juice intervention had no effect on single DNA strand breaks, but significantly reduced oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes. A time-delay was observed between the intake of fruit juice and the reduction of oxidative DNA damage and the increase in interleukin-2 secretion. We conclude that consumption of either juice enhanced antioxidant status, reduced oxidative DNA damage and stimulated immune cell functions. However, fruit juice consumption for 2 weeks did not result in elevated plasma polyphenols in subjects after overnight fasting. Further studies should focus on the time-delay between juice intake and changes in measured physiological functions, as well as on active polyphenolic metabolites mediating the observed effects.

Caffeic acid derivatives in artichoke extract are metabolised to phenolic acids in vivo

The purpose of this study was to investigate the absorption and metabolism of hydroxycinnamates from artichoke extract by determining the urinary excretion of the conjugates. Ten healthy, non smoking volunteers (5 female, 5 male) were given three capsules containing artichoke extract every 4 h (0, 4, 8h) following two days of a low-polyphenol diet. One capsule contained 320 mg of artichoke extract equivalent to 34.3 ± 0.6 mg/g hydroxycinnamates (caffeic acid derivatives) and 5.6 ± 0.1 mg/g flavonoids. Polyphenols and phenolic acids present in the artichoke extract were not detected in the urine either as conjugates or aglycones. However, ferulic, isoferulic, dihydroferulic and vanillic acid were identified as major metabolites after β-glucuronidase treatment of urine. The amount excreted as well as the ratio to that of creatinine, a biomarker for the general excretion rate, increased significantly on the study day compared to the presupplementation day. Thus, the caffeic acid esters found in the artichoke extract capsule are absorbed, metabolised and excreted as methylated phenolic acids such as ferulic, isoferulic, dihydroferulic and vanillic acid.