Acute Effects of an Anthocyanin-Rich Blackcurrant Beverage on Markers of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Healthy Adults: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Trial

Figures

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  FIGURE 1. Participant flow. FMD, flow-mediated dilation.

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  FIGURE 2. Changes from baseline in FMD after consumption of the blackcurrant beverage or the placebo together with a high-fat breakfast. Data are mean ± SEM (n = 22). Volunteers consumed the test beverage together with a high-fat, low-flavonoid breakfast (52.3 g fat), followed by a medium-fat lunch (30 g fat) at 3 h after the first consumption. Differences from baseline in FMD values were analyzed using a linear mixed model with treatment (2 treatments: blackcurrant compared with placebo beverage) and time (4 levels) as factors and adjusting for sex, age, and BMI. The main effects for treatment and time were significant (both P < 0.000001), but there was no significant treatment × time interaction (P = 0.425). BMI, body mass index; FMD, flow-mediated dilation; SEM, standard error of the mean.

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  FIGURE 3. Changes from baseline in IL-8 concentrations after consumption of the blackcurrant beverage or placebo together with a high-fat breakfast. Data are mean ± SEM (n = 23). Volunteers consumed the test beverage together with a high-fat, low-flavonoid breakfast (52.3 g fat), followed by a medium-fat lunch (30 g fat) at 3 h after the first consumption. Differences from baseline in IL-8 concentrations were analyzed using a linear mixed model with treatment (2 treatments: blackcurrant compared with placebo beverage) and time (4 levels) as factors, adjusting for sex, age, and BMI. The treatment effect was significant (P < 0.001 unadjusted), but there was no significant effect of time and no treatment × time interaction (P = 0.26 and P = 0.33, respectively, unadjusted). BMI, body mass index; IL-8, interleukin-8; SEM, standard error of the mean.

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  FIGURE 4. Changes in plasma concentrations of anthocyanin conjugates and phenolic metabolites after consumption of the blackcurrant beverage or placebo together with a high-fat breakfast. Data are mean ± SEM (n = 21). Volunteers consumed the test beverage together with a high-fat, low-flavonoid breakfast (52.3 g fat), followed by a medium-fat lunch (30 g fat) at 3 h after the first consumption. Data were analyzed by using a linear mixed model with treatment (2 treatments: blackcurrant compared with placebo beverage) and time (4 levels) as factors, adjusting for sex, age, and BMI, and post hoc analyses were conducted by using a Bonferroni multiple-comparisons test. Plasma concentrations of (A) vanillic acid at 1 h and 2 h and (B) isovanillic acid at 1 h after the consumption of the blackcurrant drink were significantly increased compared with the placebo. Plasma concentrations of (C) ferulic acid glucuronide at 1 h and 2 h and (D) isoferulic acid glucuronide at 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h after the consumption of the blackcurrant drink were significantly elevated compared with the placebo. (E) Plasma concentrations of cyanidin glucuronide were significantly increased at 1 h and 2 h postconsumption of…

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  FIGURE 5. Associations between plasma phenolics metabolites with vascular function and inflammatory parameters after the consumption of the blackcurrant beverage together with a high-fat breakfast. Data are analyzed by using a stepwise multivariate regression model to identify independent predictors of selected CVD risk markers. (A) Plasma isovanillic acid and hippuric acid concentrations independently explained 21.3% of the variance in FMD; (B) 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde concentration explained 16.5% of the variance for SBP; (C) isoferulic acid glucuronide concentration explained 4.7% of the variance for DBP; (D) 3-hydroxybenzoic acid concentration explained 9.2% of the variance for IL-8. CVD, cardiovascular disease; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; FMD, flow-mediated dilation; IL-8, interleukin-8; SBP, systolic blood pressure.