Pomegranate Juice Reduces Complications in Dialysis Patients

DENVERDrinking antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice may help reduce infections and cardiovascular events in kidney disease patients on dialysis, according to new research presented Nov. 18 at the American Society of Nephrologys 43rd Annual Meeting and Scientific Exposition.

Researchers studied 101 dialysis patients who received either pomegranate juice or another placebo drink at the beginning of each dialysis session, three times a week for one year. Laboratory tests showed that patients who drank pomegranate juice experienced reduced inflammation and the damage of oxidative stress caused by free radicals, was minimized. Pomegranate juice drinkers also were less likely to be hospitalized due to infections. The findings support other studies that suggest pomegranate juice has potent antioxidant properties.

Analyses of data not included in the abstract revealed that those who drank pomegranate juice also showed an improvement in cardiovascular risk factors, such as reduced blood pressure, improvement in lipid profile and fewer cardiovascular events, suggesting that they had better heart health.

The researchers concluded drinking a controlled amount of pomegranate juice with a safe and monitored content of potassium may help reduce the complications that often occur in dialysis patients.