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eCAM Advance Access published online on February 7, 2007
eCAM, doi:10.1093/ecam/nel108
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© 2007 The Author(s)
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/uk/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Juice Powder Concentrate and Systemic Blood Pressure, Progression of Coronary Artery Calcium and Antioxidant Status in Hypertensive Subjects: A Pilot Study

M. C. Houston1, B. Cooil2, B. J. Olafsson3 and P. Raggi4

1Hypertension Institute of Nashville, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Saint Thomas Hospital, 2Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, 3The Heart Group, Saint Thomas Heart Institute and Saint Thomas Hospital, Nashville, TN and 4Department of Medicine and Division of Cardiology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Because micronutrients from plants may have beneficial cardiovascular effects, the hypothesis that an encapsulated juice powder concentrate might affect several measures of vascular health was tested in free living adults at low cardiovascular risk. Blood pressure, vascular compliance, lipid and antioxidant markers, and serial electron beam tomography (to calculate a coronary artery calcium score as a measure of atherosclerosis burden), were monitored in 51 pre-hypertensive and hypertensive subjects over 2 years. By the end of follow-up, systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly (–2.4 ± 1.0 mmHg, P < 0.05 and –2.2 ± 0.6 mmHg, P < 0.001), and large artery compliance improved significantly (1.9 ± 0.6 ml mmHg–1 x 100, P < 0.01). The progression of coronary artery calcium score was smaller than expected compared with a historical database (P < 0.001). Laboratory testing showed a significant decrease in homocysteine (P = 0.05), HDL cholesterol (P = 0.025) and Apo A (P = 0.004), as well as a significant increase in ß-carotene, folate, Co-Q10 and {alpha}-tocopherol (all P < 0.001). The phytonutrient concentrate we utilized induced several favorable modifications of markers of vascular health in the subjects. This study supports the notion that plant nutrients are important components of a heart healthy diet.

Keywords: antioxidant – blood pressure – coronary artery calcium – fruit – hypertension – vegetable

For reprints and all correspondence: Paolo Raggi, MD, 1365 Clifton Road NE, AT-504, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. Tel: (404) 778-5567; Fax: (404) 778-3540; E-mail: praggi{at}excite.com

Received June 26, 2006; accepted December 4, 2006


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E-letters:

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Juice is More Efficacious than Juice Powder
'Afa K. Palu
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 19 Jun 2007 [Full text]
Fluid Juice Was Not Tested
Paolo Raggi, MD, et al.
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 24 Jun 2007 [Full text]
Re: Fluid Juice Was Not Tested
Beldeu Singh Sandhu
Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 1 May 2008 [Full text]

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