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Pomegranate juice reduces artery thickness, according to lab tests

Updated: 2009-10-06 22:15:39 CST Category: Heart Health and Cholesterol

by Brendan Missett

Consuming a daily serving of pomegranate juice may slow the progression of some types of heart conditions, according to new research.

The study, published in The American Journal of Cardiology, measured the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery (CIMT) in 286 participants. CIMT measurements can indicate a patient's cholesterol levels and susceptibility to atherosclerosis. Researchers conducted a double-blind trial in which one group was administered 8 ounces of pomegranate juice each day while another was given a placebo beverage for 18 months.

The research did not reveal a reduction in the progression CIMT in either group as a whole. However, data indicated that CIMT progression was slowed in patients with an elevated risk of developing cardiovascular disease who drank eight ounces of pomegranate juice each day.

Dr Michael H. Davidson, the study's lead researcher commented, "We are excited with the outcome of this larger study because while we did not see a reduction in the group as a whole, there is an indication that the rate of CIMT progression slowed in subgroups of patients characterized by more rapid CIMT progression."

The affected subgroup consisted of participants with high total triglycerides and low HDL cholesterol, among other cardiovascular risk factors.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has reported that consumption pomegranates benefit humans by providing the body with antioxidants that keep LDL cholesterol from oxidizing.

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