Fruit, Veggies Improve Endothelial Function

BELFAST, Ireland—Irish researchers found among hypertensive volunteers, increased fruit and vegetable consumption produces significant improvements in an established marker of endothelial function and cardiovascular prognosis (Circulation 2009; DOI:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.831297). After a four-week run-in period during which fruit and vegetable intake was limited to one portion per day, participants were randomized to consume either one, three or six portions daily for the next eight weeks. A total of 117 volunteers completed the 12-week study. Participants in the one-, three- and six-portions/d groups reported consuming on average 1.1, 3.2 and 5.6 portions of fruit and vegetables, respectively, and serum concentrations of lutein and cryptoxanthin increased across the groups in a dose-dependent manner. For each one-portion increase in reported fruit and vegetable consumption, there was a 6.2-percent improvement in forearm blood flow responses to intra-arterial administration of the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine (P=0.03). There was no association between increased fruit and vegetable consumption and vasodilator responses to sodium nitroprusside, an endothelium-independent vasodilator.