Effects of Short-Term Continuous Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Supplementation in Participants with Metabolic Syndrome

© 2020 Springer-Verlag. The final publication is available at Springer via https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-020-02355-5Purpose: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) augments the incidence of cardiovascular disease by two-fold and type II diabetes mellitus by five-fold. Montmorency tart cherries are rich in phytochemicals shown to improve biomarkers related to cardio-metabolic health in humans. This study aimed to examine cardio-metabolic responses after 7-days Montmorency tart cherry juice (MTCJ) supplementation and also acute on short-term supplementation responses to a single bolus, in humans with MetS. Methods: In a randomised, single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, 12 participants with MetS (50 ± 10 years; 6M/6F), consumed MTCJ or placebo (PLA) for 7 days. Blood-based and functional cardio-metabolic biomarkers were measured pre- and post-supplementation, and acute responses measured pre-bolus and up to 5 h post-bolus on the 7th day. Results: 24-h ambulatory systolic (P = 0.016), diastolic (P = 0.009) blood pressure and mean arterial pressure (P = 0.041) were significantly lower after 7-days MTCJ supplementation compared to PLA. Glucose (P = 0.038), total cholesterol (P = 0.036), LDL (P = 0.023) concentrations, total cholesterol:HDL ratio (P = 0.004) and respiratory exchange ratio values (P = 0.009) were significantly lower after 6-days MTCJ consumption compared to PLA. Conclusions: This study revealed for the first time in humans that MTCJ significantly improved 24-h BP, fasting glucose, total cholesterol and total cholesterol:HDL ratio, and also lowered resting respiratory exchange ratio compared to a control group. Responses demonstrated clinically relevant improvements on aspects of cardio-metabolic function, emphasising the potential efficacy of MTCJ in preventing further cardio-metabolic dysregulation in participants with MetS. Registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03619941).Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Nutritional Status Evaluation: Body Composition and Energy Balance

Nutritional status is the result of our lifestyle over the long term and a major determinant of our health. The balance between energy we ingest as food and energy we expend in the course of physiological processes during our daily activities defines our body composition, a key component of nutritional status. A positive energy balance is at the base of overweight and obesity, where a generalized or a central increase in fat mass is associated with a higher cardio-metabolic risk. In order to plan an effective dietary intervention, we need to know the current body composition in terms of fat mass and fat-free mass and the basal metabolic rate, that is, the energy expenditure at rest in the postabsorptive state. Basal metabolic rate can be assessed by estimate equations or measured by calorimetry. Body composition can be measured or estimated in the field, at the bedside or clinic, or in the laboratory. Anthropometry, body impedance assessment, dual X-ray absorptiometry, and imaging techniques like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are more commonly used in the clinical settings, while densitometry and dilution methods are typical laboratory methods. Information on body composition and energy expenditure represent a powerful tool available to the health-care worker who deals with nutrition for the prevention or treatment of obesity-associated cardio-metabolic diseases