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Health News Archive 200 - Blood Vessels
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Cranberries Improve Function in Damaged Blood Vessels

Researchers studied the effects of taking cranberry juice powder regularly over six months and found a pronounced improvement in vascular function -- the ability of blood vessels to relax - in subjects with high blood cholesterol and atherosclerosis, according to research presented at the 35th Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, held in San Diego, CA, in April 2005.*

Previous studies have suggested that cranberry juice may support cardiovascular health by boosting levels of beneficial HDL (high-density lipoprotein). Dr. Kris Krus-Elliott of the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine presented evidence that cranberry extract may help to reduce the risk of developing heart disease and protect those who already have atherosclerosis from heart attack and stroke. Recent work shows that cranberries contain naturally derived compounds (antioxidants, flavonoids, and polyphenols) that may help protect against heart disease.

In their study, Dr. Krus-Elliott and her team used pigs bred to serve as an animal model of familial high cholesterol. The animals’ blood vessels do not function normally, and the pigs generally develop atherosclerosis (thickening and hardening of the arteries) at an early age. This chain of events is similar to heart disease progression in humans.

The animals were fed a daily dose of cranberry juice powder (150 grams of powder per kilogram of body weight) for six months. At the study’s end, the cranberry-supplemented pigs with high cholesterol displayed blood vessel function that was more like normal pigs. Pigs with high cholesterol that did not receive the cranberry supplement had significantly less vascular relaxation than the normal or cranberry-fed pigs.

Dr. Krus-Elliott commented, “Since the abnormal functioning of blood vessels is an important component of heart disease, finding ways to improve vascular function in patients with high cholesterol and atherosclerosis is critical to helping protect these patients from consequences such as heart attack or stroke. The value of fruits and vegetables in our diet has recently been an area of intense research, and studies like this help us to understand the specific mechanisms by which the nutrients we consume can protect against heart disease.”

Source: 35th Congress of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, San Diego, CA, April 2005.* http://www.news-medical.net/?id=8849