Clinical results published in a leading nutrition journal provide novel evidence supporting the beneficial effect of consumption of citrus flavanones on postprandial endothelial function.

Clinical results published in a leading nutrition journal provide novel evidence supporting the beneficial effect of consumption of citrus flavanones on postprandial endothelial function.

Maastricht, Netherlands, April 6, 2017

Press release

The British Journal of Nutrition has published results revealing that an acute, sole dose of citrus flavanones may counteract the transient decline in endothelial function, 7-hours postprandially. However, no effect was found 2-hours postprandially. This study corroborates findings from the latest clinical study on Cordiart®, a sweet orange extract. Moreover, it was shown that a repeated daily dose of standardized citrus flavanones may impart already 2-hours postprandially, a faster recovery in FMD response as compared to a sole dose.

The Clinical Benefits of Cordiart®

A recently published randomized, controlled, double-masked, crossover study (2017) has evaluated the acute impact (0-7 h) of flavanone-containing (mg) 240 ml beverages (orange juice: 128.9 mg; flavanone-rich orange juice: 272.1 mg; homogenized whole orange: 452.8 mg) on postprandial (Western diet/double meal with 81 g of fat) vascular function among middle-aged healthy men (30-65 years, N=28). Subjects had mild cardiometabolic risk factors with a baseline FMD (flow-mediated dilation) of 4.8 units and fasting lipids in the upper half of the normal range (TAG 0.8-3.2 mmol/l, total cholesterol 6.0-8.0 mmol/l) or BMI 25-32 kg/m2.

After 2-hours postprandially, there was no detected improvement in % FMD for all three interventions, despite differing flavanone concentrations. By 7-hours postprandially, all interventions were able to attenuate temporary impairments in FMD to that of baseline levels (7-hours post intake, P<0.05). This was suggested to be due to probable actions of citrus flavanone metabolites on nitric oxide.

Even though these results are promising, it can also be implied that an individual is exposed to endothelial dysfunction for up to 7-hours. By this time, it is common to have already consumed another meal (Western diet), reflecting that the majority of the day is spent in a postprandial state. This absence of a rapid postprandial effect may also be attributed to low flavanone bioavailability.

The article concludes that a daily intake of citrus flavanones may be an effective dietary strategy and ‘such temporary vascular changes repeated on a daily basis can critically impact long-term vascular health and overall chronic disease risk

Given the former, it’s important to have a rapid improvement in endothelial function postprandially. This was shown in a 6-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study that investigated the effects of a daily repeated intake of 500mg of Cordiart® on endothelial function. Already 2-hours after the consumption of a high-fat meal, 6-weeks of Cordiart® supplementation was shown to significantly increase and recover FMD (mean) by approximately 8.9% when compared to the mean baseline fasting level, in individuals with borderline chronic endothelial impairment (FMD≥3%). Therefore, Cordiart® may provide a faster recovery in FMD response as compared to a sole dose of non-standardized flavanones.

Moreover, orange juice is known to contain a high amount of sugar and is not standardized for active flavonoid content. Overall, Cordiart® provides a standardized dose of flavonoids, serving as an optimal solution for preserving endothelial function and supporting healthy blood flow.

About BioActor

BioActor, based in Maastricht, Netherlands, is a product development company that has developed a range of proprietary bioactive ingredients for the nutrition & healthcare industry. The company focuses on the development of innovative activities that address active living and healthy aging. The goal is to provide the nutrition & healthcare industry with science-based innovations that confer a real health benefit to the consumer.

Feel free to contact us via info@bioactor.com for more information on the possibilities Cordiart® has to offer.
Further information can be found on: www.cordiart.com