Cardiovascular disease risk biomarkers and liver and kidney function are not altered in postmenopausal women after ingesting an elderberry extract rich in anthocyanins for 12 weeks

Peter J Curtis, Paul A Kroon, Wendy J Hollands, Rebecca Walls, Gail Jenkins, Colin D Kay, Aedín Cassidy

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126 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Growing evidence supports a cardio-protective role for anthocyanins; however, there is limited evidence on their efficacy and safety following the consumption of relatively high but dietarily achievable doses in humans. We conducted a parallel-designed, randomized, placebo-controlled study to examine the effect of chronic consumption of anthocyanins on biomarkers of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and liver and kidney function in 52 healthy postmenopausal women (n = 26 in treatment and placebo groups). Volunteers (BMI, 24.7 +/- 3.6 kg/m(2); age, 58.2 +/- 5.6 y) consumed 500 mg/d anthocyanins as cyanidin glycosides (from elderberry) or placebo for 12 wk (2 capsules twice/d). At the beginning (wk 0) and end of the 12-wk intervention, levels of anthocyanins and biomarkers of CVD (inflammatory biomarkers, platelet reactivity, lipids, and glucose) and liver and kidney function (total bilirubin, albumin, urea, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, and gamma-glutyl transferase) were assessed in fasted blood. Anthropometric, blood pressure, and pulse measurements were also taken. In addition, postprandial plasma anthocyanins were measured (t = 1, 2, 3 h) following a 500-mg oral bolus dose. After 12 wk of chronic exposure to anthocyanins, there was no significant change in biomarkers of CVD risk and liver and kidney function remained within clinically acceptable ranges. We observed no plasma accumulation of anthocyanins; however, postprandial metabolism increased (P = 0.02). In conclusion, these data suggest that chronic consumption of 500 mg/d of elderberry extract for 12 wk is apparently safe, but ineffective in altering biomarkers of CVD risk in healthy postmenopausal women.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2266-2271
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Nutrition
Volume139
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2009

Keywords

  • Anthocyanins
  • Biological Markers
  • C-Reactive Protein
  • Cardiovascular Diseases
  • Female
  • Flavonoids
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-6
  • Kidney Function Tests
  • Liver Function Tests
  • Middle Aged
  • Placebos
  • Plant Extracts
  • Postmenopause
  • Risk Assessment
  • Safety
  • Sambucus
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

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