Insights & Discussion
Pomegranate and its components could offer considerable potential as dietary supplements or supports in treatment for cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular diseases.
The review examines a myriad of recent preclinical and clinical studies focusing on pomegranate. To harness the health benefits of pomegranate, different components were extracted and studied. These include juice from the fruit's edible arils, oil from the seeds, and bioactive products from the typically discarded peel. The research also considers advances in encapsulation and green extraction techniques to optimize the use of waste pomegranate products.
The studies suggest promising beneficial effects of pomegranate in diverse areas. Though challenges remain, such as limited oral bioavailability and uncertainty concerning the role of active metabolites, the collective findings offer crucial insight into the significant potential of pomegranate as a dietary supplement or co-therapy for a range of diseases, especially cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular ones.
Discover Related Insights
Pomegranate extract consumption improves antioxidant levels, reduces oxidative stress and cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure and body fat, and increases lean body mass.
2022 Antioxidants Antioxidant Properties and Beneficial Cardiovascular Effects of a Natural Extract of Pomegranate in Healthy Volunteers: A Randomized Preliminary Single-Blind Controlled Study Al-Dujaili EAS, Casey C, Stockton A
Randomised Controlled Trial Cardiovascular Disease High Blood Pressure Pomegranate
In the study, 24 healthy participants were divided into two groups: one consumed a natural standardized pomegranate extract, while the other, a placebo, in a randomized, single-blind placebo-controlled trial. Evaluations were conducted at baseline and post 14 and 28 days of the experiment, with variables including anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, pulse wave speed, body composition, as well as the levels of salivary and urinary cortisol, cortisone, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, and lipid peroxidation.
The results indicated significant increases in urinary total phenolics excretion and antioxidant capacity after 14 and 28 days of pomegranate extract intake. By day 28, notable decreases were noted in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, body fat and fat mass, and an increase in lean body mass. In terms of glucocorticoid levels, there was a marked decrease in saliva cortisol at day 28 in the morning for the pomegranate extract group, along with a decrease in the cortisol/cortisone ratio following 28 days of pomegranate extract intake at morning, noon, and evening. Reductions were also seen in urine free cortisol levels by day 14. These observations were unique to the pomegranate extract group, with no significant changes noted in the placebo group.
Concentrated pomegranate juice consumption can potentially lower cardiovascular disease risk factors in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
2020 Phytotherapy Research The effect of concentrated pomegranate juice consumption on risk factors of cardiovascular diseases in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: A randomized controlled trial Abedini M, Ghasemi‐Tehrani H, Tarrahi MJ, Amani R
Randomised Controlled Trial Cardiovascular Disease PCOS Pomegranate
The study used a randomized clinical approach, enrolling 44 women identified with polycystic ovary syndrome, aged 18 to 40 years and above a certain body weight index. These participants were randomly divided into two groups: one group was given concentrated pomegranate juice (CPJ), while the other served as a control. Both groups were monitored over a period of 8 weeks, with baseline measurements taken for anthropometric measures, blood pressure, and biochemical parameters set at the onset and then compared at the end of the trial.
Upon completion, the group that consumed CPJ showed reductions in blood pressure and serum triglyceride levels — a known risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. There was also an increase in the amount of high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (good cholesterol) and a decrease in the triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio. However, an increase was observed in levels of low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (bad cholesterol). No adverse events or complications arose from CPJ consumption during the study period.
Synbiotic pomegranate juice daily consumption for 8 weeks enhances metabolic, oxidative, inflammatory, and blood pressure outcomes in females with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.
2019 Journal of Endocrinological Investigation The effect of synbiotics pomegranate juice on cardiovascular risk factors in PCOS patients: a randomized, triple-blinded, controlled trial Esmaeilinezhad Z, Barati-Boldaji R, Brett NR, de Zepetnek JOT, Bellissimo N, Babajafari S, et al.
Randomised Controlled Trial Cardiovascular Disease High Blood Pressure PCOS
In this double-blind randomised study over 8 weeks, participants were given 300ml/day of either plain pomegranate juice, a synbiotic beverage, a synbiotic pomegranate juice, or a placebo beverage. Biochemical measures such as lipid profile, total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, and high sensitivity C-reactive protein, as well as blood pressure were evaluated at the start and the end of the trial.
Participants who consumed pomegranate juice, the synbiotic beverage or the synbiotic pomegranate juice saw positive changes in their lipid profiles, oxidative stress markers, inflammation indicators and blood pressure levels. Specifically, total cholesterol was lower for those who consumed the synbiotic beverage, while bad cholesterol (LDL-c) was reduced in the synbiotic and synbiotic pomegranate juice groups, and good cholesterol levels (HDL-c) were increased in the plain pomegranate juice and the synbiotic pomegranate juice groups. As for oxidative stress and inflammation, malondialdehyde was lower and total antioxidant capacity was increased in the pomegranate juice and synbiotic pomegranate juice groups. High sensitivity C-reactive protein decreased in the pomegranate juice group. Blood pressure was lower among those who consumed both the synbiotic pomegranate juice and plain pomegranate juice compared to those who had the placebo.