Premium
Blueberries exert antihypertensive and vascular‐protective effects in postmenopausal women with pre‐ and stage 1‐hypertension (117.6)
Author(s) -
Johnson Sarah,
Figueroa Arturo,
Navaei Negin,
Wong Alexei,
Kalfon Roy,
Feresin Rafaela,
Elam Marcus,
Payton Mark,
Arjmandi Bahram
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.117.6
Subject(s) - arterial stiffness , pulse wave velocity , medicine , blood pressure , cardiology , vasodilation , nitric oxide , diastole , endocrinology , urology
Postmenopausal women have a high prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and often develop arterial stiffness which increases their risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Although antihypertensive drug therapies exist, increasing numbers of people prefer natural therapies. In vivo studies have demonstrated the antihypertensive and vascular‐protective effects of blueberries. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effects of 22 g freeze‐dried blueberry powder (BB) or 22 g control (CON) per day for 8 weeks on blood pressure and arterial stiffness in forty postmenopausal women with pre‐ and stage 1‐HTN. Resting brachial systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP, respectively) were evaluated and arterial stiffness was assessed using carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and brachial‐ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV). Blood was collected at baseline, 4 and 8 weeks to assess nitric oxide (NO). After 8 weeks of BB treatment, SBP and DBP (– 7 mmHg, P < 0.05 and – 5 mmHg, P < 0.01, respectively) and baPWV (– 97 cm/s, P < 0.01) were significantly lower than baseline levels and there were significant ( P < 0.05) group by time interactions, whereas there were no changes in CON. NO levels were significantly (6.24 µM, P < 0.01) increased in the BB group at 8 weeks compared to baseline values whereas there were no changes in CON. The results of this study indicate that regular consumption of blueberries is of benefit to vascular health. Grant Funding Source : Supported by The U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council