Flavonoid-rich fruit and vegetables improve microvascular reactivity and inflammatory status in men at risk of cardiovascular disease--FLAVURS: a randomized controlled trial

TY - JOUR

T1 - Flavonoid-rich fruit and vegetables improve microvascular reactivity and inflammatory status in men at risk of cardiovascular disease--FLAVURS

T2 - a randomized controlled trial

AU - Macready, Anna L

AU - George, Trevor W

AU - Chong, Mary F

AU - Alimbetov, Dauren S

AU - Jin, Yannan

AU - Vidal, Alberto

AU - Spencer, Jeremy P E

AU - Kennedy, Orla B

AU - Tuohy, Kieran M

AU - Minihane, Anne-Marie

AU - Gordon, Michael H

AU - Lovegrove, Julie A

AU - FLAVURS Study Group

PY - 2014/3

Y1 - 2014/3

N2 - BACKGROUND: Observed associations between increased fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption, particularly those F&Vs that are rich in flavonoids, and vascular health improvements require confirmation in adequately powered randomized controlled trials.OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to measure the dose-response relation between high-flavonoid (HF), low-flavonoid (LF), and habitual F&V intakes and vascular function and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk indicators.DESIGN: A single-blind, dose-dependent, parallel randomized controlled dietary intervention study was conducted. Male and female low-F&V consumers who had a ≥ 1.5-fold increased risk of CVD (n = 174) were randomly assigned to receive an HF F&V, an LF F&V, or a habitual diet, with HF and LF F&V amounts sequentially increasing by 2, 4, and 6 (+2, +4, and +6) portions/d every 6 wk over habitual intakes. Microvascular reactivity (laser Doppler imaging with iontophoresis), arterial stiffness [pulse wave velocity, pulse wave analysis (PWA)], 24-h ambulatory blood pressure, and biomarkers of nitric oxide (NO), vascular function, and inflammation were determined at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 wk.RESULTS: In men, the HF F&V diet increased endothelium-dependent microvascular reactivity (P = 0.017) with +2 portions/d (at 6 wk) and reduced C-reactive protein (P = 0.001), E-selectin (P = 0.0005), and vascular cell adhesion molecule (P = 0.0468) with +4 portions/d (at 12 wk). HF F&Vs increased plasma NO (P = 0.0243) with +4 portions/d (at 12 wk) in the group as a whole. An increase in F&Vs, regardless of flavonoid content in the groups as a whole, mitigated increases in vascular stiffness measured by PWA (P = 0.0065) and reductions in NO (P = 0.0299) in the control group.CONCLUSION: These data support recommendations to increase F&V intake to ≥ 6 portions daily, with additional benefit from F&Vs that are rich in flavonoids, particularly in men with an increased risk of CVD.

AB - BACKGROUND: Observed associations between increased fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption, particularly those F&Vs that are rich in flavonoids, and vascular health improvements require confirmation in adequately powered randomized controlled trials.OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to measure the dose-response relation between high-flavonoid (HF), low-flavonoid (LF), and habitual F&V intakes and vascular function and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk indicators.DESIGN: A single-blind, dose-dependent, parallel randomized controlled dietary intervention study was conducted. Male and female low-F&V consumers who had a ≥ 1.5-fold increased risk of CVD (n = 174) were randomly assigned to receive an HF F&V, an LF F&V, or a habitual diet, with HF and LF F&V amounts sequentially increasing by 2, 4, and 6 (+2, +4, and +6) portions/d every 6 wk over habitual intakes. Microvascular reactivity (laser Doppler imaging with iontophoresis), arterial stiffness [pulse wave velocity, pulse wave analysis (PWA)], 24-h ambulatory blood pressure, and biomarkers of nitric oxide (NO), vascular function, and inflammation were determined at baseline and at 6, 12, and 18 wk.RESULTS: In men, the HF F&V diet increased endothelium-dependent microvascular reactivity (P = 0.017) with +2 portions/d (at 6 wk) and reduced C-reactive protein (P = 0.001), E-selectin (P = 0.0005), and vascular cell adhesion molecule (P = 0.0468) with +4 portions/d (at 12 wk). HF F&Vs increased plasma NO (P = 0.0243) with +4 portions/d (at 12 wk) in the group as a whole. An increase in F&Vs, regardless of flavonoid content in the groups as a whole, mitigated increases in vascular stiffness measured by PWA (P = 0.0065) and reductions in NO (P = 0.0299) in the control group.CONCLUSION: These data support recommendations to increase F&V intake to ≥ 6 portions daily, with additional benefit from F&Vs that are rich in flavonoids, particularly in men with an increased risk of CVD.

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal

KW - Biological Markers

KW - Cardiovascular Diseases

KW - Cohort Studies

KW - Cytokines

KW - England

KW - Female

KW - Flavonoids

KW - Fruit

KW - Humans

KW - Hypertension

KW - Male

KW - Microvessels

KW - Middle Aged

KW - Risk Factors

KW - Sex Characteristics

KW - Single-Blind Method

KW - Vascular Resistance

KW - Vascular Stiffness

KW - Vegetables

U2 - 10.3945/ajcn.113.074237

DO - 10.3945/ajcn.113.074237

M3 - Article

C2 - 24452238

SN - 0002-9165

VL - 99

SP - 479

EP - 489

JO - The American journal of clinical nutrition

JF - The American journal of clinical nutrition

IS - 3

ER -