Natural bioactive compounds found in orange juice can regulate the activity of genes that control the cardiovascular system and blood vessels. That is the conclusion of French scientists from the National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), whose clinical trial results were published in the scientific journal Food & Function, according to infohub.kz.
The study involved 37 men with an enlarged waist circumference — a risk factor for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Over six weeks, participants took turns drinking 330 ml of 100% orange juice daily, a control drink with a similar sugar content, or the same control drink with added hesperidin — a plant polyphenol naturally present in citrus fruits.
Tests showed that hesperidin and other bioactive substances were well absorbed by the body and caused changes in the activity of genes related to vascular function. Although no direct reduction in blood pressure was recorded in participants over the six weeks, the molecular changes identified demonstrate the bioactivity of citrus compounds.
Lead researcher Christine Morand noted that the mechanisms discovered require further study in longer-term observations. Dietitian Frankie Phillips added that consuming the juice during the experiment also had no negative effect on participants' body weight, glucose, insulin or cholesterol levels.