The effects of Aronia berry (poly)phenol supplementation on arterial function and the gut microbiome in middle aged men and women: Results from a randomized controlled trial
Melanie Le Sayec, Yifan Xu, Manolo Laiola, Fabiola Alvarez Gallego, Daphne Katsikioti, Chandler Durbidge, Uku Kivisild, Sarah Armes, Manon Lecomte, Pascale Fança-Berthon, Emilie Fromentin, Florian Plaza Oñate, J Kennedy Cruickshank, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, Melanie Le Sayec, Yifan Xu, Manolo Laiola, Fabiola Alvarez Gallego, Daphne Katsikioti, Chandler Durbidge, Uku Kivisild, Sarah Armes, Manon Lecomte, Pascale Fança-Berthon, Emilie Fromentin, Florian Plaza Oñate, J Kennedy Cruickshank, Ana Rodriguez-Mateos
Abstract
Background and aims: Berry (poly)phenol consumption has been associated with cardioprotective benefits, however little is known on the role the gut microbiome may play on such health benefits. Our objective was to investigate the effects of aronia berry (poly)phenol consumption on cardiometabolic health and gut microbiome richness and composition in prehypertensive middle-aged men and women.
Methods: A total of 102 prehypertensive participants were included in a parallel 12-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. Volunteers were randomly allocated to daily consume an encapsulated (poly)phenol-rich aronia berry extract (Aronia, n = 51) or a matched maltodextrin placebo (Control, n = 51). Blood pressure (BP) and arterial function (office and 24 h), endothelial function (measured as flow-mediated dilation), serum biochemistry (including blood lipids), plasma and urine (poly)phenol metabolites as well as gut microbiome composition through shotgun metagenomic sequencing were monitored over the study period. Relationships between vascular outcomes, (poly)phenol metabolites and gut microbiome were investigated using an integrated multi-levels approach.
Results: A significant improvement in arterial indices measured as augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) was found in the Aronia compared to Control group (awake Δ PWV = -0.24 m/s; 95% CI: -0.79, -0.01 m/s, P < 0.05; 24 h peripheral Δ AIx = -6.8; -11.2, -2.3, %, P = 0.003; 24 h central Δ AIx = -3.3; -5.5, -1.0, %, P = 0.006). No changes in BP, endothelial function or blood lipids were found following the intervention. Consumption of aronia (poly)phenols led to a significant increase in gut microbiome gene richness and in the abundance of butyrate-producing species such as Lawsonibacter asaccharolyticus and Intestinimonas butyriciproducens species, compared to Control group. Results from an approach including metabolomic, metagenomic and clinical outcomes highlighted associations between aronia-derived phenolic metabolites, arterial stiffness, and gut microbiome.
Conclusions: Aronia berry (poly)phenol consumption improved arterial function in prehypertensive middle-aged individuals, possibly via modulation of gut microbiome richness and composition based on the associations observed between these parameters.
Clinical trial registry: The National Institutes of Health (NIH)-randomized trial records held on the NIH ClinicalTrials.gov website (NCT03434574). Aronia Berry Consumption on Blood Pressure.
Keywords: (poly)phenols; Aronia; Arterial stiffness; Cardiovascular disease; Vascular function.
Conflict of interest statement
Conflict of interest EF, MLecomte, PFB are employees of Naturex SA, part of Givaudan. MLS, YX, FAG, DK, CD, UK, SA, JKC and ARM were supported by a collaborative research agreement with Naturex SA, part of Givaudan. FPO and MLaiola were supported by a service agreement with Naturex SA, part of Givaudan.
Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Source: PubMed