Medical Bulletin 27/ May/ 2024

Almost 19 million people die from heart attacks, strokes, arterial clots, and the like worldwide every year. These complications of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are primarily due to atherosclerosis or stiffening of the arteries.

A recent study in the journal Nutrients pooled data from multiple studies and clinical trials to investigate the effects of phenolic compounds in cherries and berries on cardiovascular health.

Cherries and many berries, which are red and nutrient-rich, are low in fat, and high in fiber. They contain beneficial compounds like flavonoids, stilbenes, and phenolic acids, which influence the body's biological processes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends consuming 400 g of fruits and vegetables per day. Up to two cups of cherries and berries are safe for daily consumption, equivalent to 50 g of blueberries, aligning with WHO's guidelines.

Anthocyanins in berries reduce oxidative stress, inflammation, blood sugar levels, and have antimicrobial properties. These fruits may contain 200-300 mg of polyphenols per 100 g, comparable to chocolate and legumes.

A diet rich in fruits and vegetables can provide about a gram of polyphenols daily. Regular consumption may reduce inflammation, oxidative stress, lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels, and enhance endothelial function.

In the study, researchers investigated the impact of berries and cherries on cardiovascular health in obese rats and found that berry and cherry intake caused blood vessels to relax, driving down the blood pressure. This was accompanied by endothelial protection via reduced serum endothelin, even as it triggered the production of more nitric oxide, a potent vasodilator. It also reduced oxidative damage to the endothelium, preventing inflammation that could drive atherosclerosis.

Regular intake of berries and cherries also brought down inflammatory markers. In addition, the risk of obesity, and thus indirectly of CVD, dipped. Lipid markers also improved with the intake of cherries and berries.

The findings revealed that people who eat cherries and berries regularly also have a higher antioxidant capacity, resisting the damage caused by the constant production of oxidizing molecules during ordinary metabolism and inflammation. When coupled with a reduction in blood pressure, the outcome is a marked reduction in cardiometabolic risk. These effects are especially prominent in those already in poor health.

Reference: Carvalho, F.; Lahlou, R.A.; Silva, L.R. Phenolic Compounds from Cherries and Berries for Chronic Disease Management and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction. Nutrients 2024, 16, 1597. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16111597

In a recent study published in the journal Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology, researchers highlighted the effect Western diet can have on the risk of developing gut inflammation and chronic diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Alzheimer’s disease.

Western diet is widely recognized for its high content of unhealthy fats, refined grains, sugar, alcohol, and other harmful elements.

Western diets are high in processed meats, especially red meat, high-fat dairy, and salt, while being low in unprocessed fruits and vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, and seeds. This results in a diet low in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

The gut microbiota, a complex ecosystem of microbes in the human gut, plays a crucial role in health by digesting food, providing essential vitamins, protecting against pathogens, maintaining the intestinal barrier, and supporting the immune system. Diet significantly influences the composition of gut microbiota. High-fat diets reduce the number of beneficial bacteria and disrupt the gut barrier. Western diets, in particular, impair gut structure and function, decreasing the abundance of microbes that promote a healthy gut barrier.

In the study, researchers compared the Western diet to the Mediterranean diet, noting that the Mediterranean diet includes less processed food and more fruits, vegetables, and plant-based proteins. They emphasized the importance of certain bacteria which are linked to better gut health and maintaining the gut lining. These bacteria are also associated with greater lean muscle mass.

The results showed that a diet high in saturated fat is linked to fewer beneficial microbes in the gut. Additives like artificial sweeteners also reduce the amounts of helpful bacteria. Eating fast food more than once a week is associated with a higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Poor dietary habits can increase the risk of ulcerative colitis by 43% and Crohn’s disease by 27%.

Additionally, high intakes of meat and fish are linked to an increased risk of IBD, while egg and dairy consumption are not.

Overall, the findings suggest that consuming large amounts of red meat, ultra-processed foods, sugar, and saturated fat may raise the risk of developing IBD and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

“This type of diet helps to increase our cholesterol level in the blood, and ultimately is bad for the health because cholesterol leads to heart disease and many other complications. And as a consequence, diabetes, and metabolic disorder develop. But there are a lot of studies showing that the diet not only alters metabolism but also it shifts the microbiome composition,” said Hasan Zaki, associate professor at UT Southwestern Medical School.

Reference: Andrea Severino, Ege Tohumcu, Luca Tamai, Pasquale Dargenio, et al.; The microbiome-driven impact of western diet in the development of noncommunicable chronic disorders, Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology; 2024,; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bpg.2024.101923.

A study published in the journal JAMA Network Open found that exposure to widespread chemical exposure such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals in pregnancy may be associated with adverse metabolic health in children.

Metabolic Syndrome represents a cluster of multiple factors associated with increased risk for cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes (T2D), including abdominal obesity, hypertension and insulin resistance, affecting 1 in 4 adults worldwide.

Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) during fetal development, a critical period of increased susceptibility and programming, may increase the risk of metabolic syndrome later in life.

EDCs are a class of environmental pollutants with the ability to cross the blood-placenta barrier and interfere with human metabolism and hormonal balance. These include pesticides, metals, plasticizers such as phthalates and phenols, and other widely used chemicals.

While previous research has examined associations of prenatal EDC exposure with separate components of metabolic syndrome in children, comprehensive studies on overall cardiometabolic risk remain limited.

The study used data from the Human Early Life Exposome cohort, focusing on mother-child pairs with prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and complete data on childhood metabolic syndrome risk factors. Data were analysed from October 2022 to July 2023.

Researchers measured endocrine-disrupting chemicals in urine and blood samples during pregnancy. When the children were 6 to 11 years old, a metabolic syndrome risk score was created using waist circumference, blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and insulin levels.

The results showed that maternal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals during pregnancy, particularly metals and pesticides, was linked to higher metabolic syndrome risk scores in childhood.

The findings highlighted the importance of evaluating health risks associated with EDC mixtures. By identifying child molecular phenotypes associated with EDC mixtures and underlying Metabolic Syndrome, this study may support future early identification of EDC-exposed paediatric populations at risk for Metabolic Syndrome development.

Reference: Güil-Oumrait N, Stratakis N, Maitre L, et al. Prenatal Exposure to Chemical Mixtures and Metabolic Syndrome Risk in Children. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(5):e2412040. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12040