Naturally occurring compounds in orange juice regulated genes involved in the control of cardiovascular and blood vessel function, according to a new clinical trial.
Researchers found that men who drank 330 ml of 100% orange juice each day for six weeks absorbed citrus bioactives, including hesperidin, and showed changes in the activity of genes linked to vascular health.
Hesperidin is a plant compound found naturally in oranges and orange juice. It belongs to the polyphenol family, which also includes compounds found in berries, tea and cocoa. Scientists are investigating these compounds because of their potential role in heart and circulatory health.
The gene expression changes discovered in the study included both increases and decreases in the activity of different genes. However, when combined, a pattern emerged which the researchers believed could be more favorable for supporting healthy blood vessels, circulation and heart function.
This could help explain why some previous studies of orange juice or hesperidin have reported lower blood pressure or improved endothelial function - the ability of blood vessels to relax and widen.
However, findings across earlier studies have not been consistent.
While the new trial did not find that orange juice lowered blood pressure over six weeks, its bioactive compounds were well absorbed and produced measurable molecular effects in the body. This provides a potential mechanism for future research to explore.
We found clear evidence that bioactive compounds from orange juice were absorbed by the body and regulated the expression of genes involved in biological pathways related to cardiovascular function. These molecular changes did not lead to measurable short-term improvements in blood pressure or blood vessel health in this group. However, they did show that citrus compounds are biologically active and give us an important clue about how they could influence vascular health. Longer studies are now needed to find out whether these effects translate into health benefits over time."
Dr. Christine Morand, Study Lead Researcher and Research Director, Human Nutrition Unit in France, INRAE
The study, published in Food & Function, included 37 otherwise healthy men with a high waist circumference putting them at greater risk of heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Each participant consumed three different drinks in turn: 330 ml of 100% orange juice, a sugar-matched control drink, and the same control drink with added hesperidin at the level found in the orange juice. Each drink was consumed daily for six weeks.
Registered Dietitan Dr Frankie Phillps added, "Heart and circulatory diseases remain one of the UK's biggest health challenges, so understanding more about how everyday foods and drinks interact with the body is an important area of research. This study suggests that compounds naturally present in orange juice may influence genes linked to the control of blood vessel function which in turn can affect our blood pressure. As orange juice is also a source of potassium, a mineral which supports normal blood pressure, the finding confirms that a small daily glass could be a simple way to benefit cardiovascular health via multiple pathways, owing to the diverse compounds present within orange juice. it was also significant that even drinking twice the recommended amount didn’t have any adverse impact on body weight, blood glucose, insulin or cholesterol in the men studied."
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