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Cranberry

Specific Recommendation:

• Cranberry extract at Amazon.com

News & Research:

• How cranberries could improve memory and ward off dementia - Science Daily, 5/19/22 - "The research team investigated the impact of eating cranberries for 12 weeks on brain function and cholesterol among 60 cognitively healthy participants ... Half of the participants consumed freeze-dried cranberry powder, equivalent to a cup or 100g of fresh cranberries, daily. The other half consumed a placebo ... the participants who consumed the cranberry powder showed significantly improved episodic memory performance in combination with improved circulation of essential nutrients such as oxygen and glucose to important parts of the brain that support cognition -- specifically memory consolidation and retrieval ... the participants who consumed the cranberry powder showed significantly improved episodic memory performance in combination with improved circulation of essential nutrients such as oxygen and glucose to important parts of the brain that support cognition -- specifically memory consolidation and retrievaln ... The findings of this study are very encouraging, especially considering that a relatively short 12-week cranberry intervention was able to produce significant improvements in memory and neural function" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com.
• 100g of cranberries a day improves cardiovascular health, study finds - Science Daily, 3/22/22 - "men who consumed whole cranberry powder equivalent to 100g of fresh cranberries per day (9 g powder) or a placebo for one month. Those consuming cranberry had a significant improvement in flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which signals improvement of heart and blood vessel function. FMD is considered a sensitive biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk and measures how blood vessels widen when blood flow increases" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com.
• Powdered cranberry combats colon cancer in mice - Science Daily, 8/18/15 - "Cranberry extracts may also afford protection toward other cancers, but it seems reasonable to look at colon cancer ... her team generated three powdered cranberry extracts: a whole fruit powder, an extract containing only the cranberry polyphenols, and one containing only the non-polyphenol components of the fruit ... The researchers mixed the cranberry extracts into the meals of mice with colon cancer ... After 20 weeks, the mice given the whole cranberry extract had about half the number of tumors as mice that received no cranberry in their chow. The remaining tumors in the cranberry-fed mice were also smaller. Plus, the cranberry extracts seemed to reduce the levels of inflammation markers in the mice ... There may be some synergy between polyphenol and non-polyphenol constituents ... This is approximately equivalent to a cup a day of cranberries if you were a human instead of a mouse ... she's not sure someone could get the same benefits from juice, which lacks some of the components in the skin of the cranberry" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com.
• How Cranberries Impact Infection-Causing Bacteria - Science Daily, 7/15/13 - "cranberry powder can inhibit the ability of Proteus mirabilis, a bacterium frequently implicated in complicated UTIs, to swarm on agar plates and swim within the agar. The experiments also show that increasing concentrations of cranberry powder reduce the bacteria's production of urease, an enzyme that contributes to the virulence of infections"
• Cranberry Products May Prevent Urinary Tract Infections - Medscape, 7/9/12 - "Several new studies have been published since the last meta-analysis on this issue ... Dr. Wang and colleagues analyzed 10 trials with a total of 1494 participants ... cranberry-containing products appeared to effectively prevent UTIs (RR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.49 - 0.80) (I2 = 43%)" - [Abstract]
• Whole cranberry powder shows activity against recurrent UTIs - Nutra USA, 4/5/11 - "The volunteers were randomly assigned to receive no intervention, or a low (500 mg) or high dose (1,000 mg) daily dose of the PACran whole cranberry powder for 90 days ... At the end of the study, the control group did not show any changes in concentrations of E. coli, while a significant reduction in the cranberry groups were observed. Specifically, the researchers report a reductions of E. coli in urine culture analysis of between 25 and 45 percent after 10 days of cranberry consumption, and this was maintained over 90 days"
• OPCs come out tops for heart health beverages - Nutra USA, 2/5/10 - "Cranberry juice rich in antioxidant procyanidins is effective at boosting the health of blood vessels ... oligomeric procyanidins (OPC) had “by far the most potent effects” on the function of the endothelium (the cells lining blood vessels)" - [Abstract] - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com and grape seed extract at Amazon.com.
• How Cranberry Products Prevent Urinary Tract Infections - Science Daily, 5/9/08 - "Chemicals present in cranberries—and not the acidity of cranberry juice, as previously thought—prevent infection-causing bacteria from attaching to the cells that line the urinary tract ... Chemicals found in cranberry products called proanthocyanidins (PACs) prevent E. coli, which is the cause of about 85% of UTIs and 90% of cases of acute pyelonephritis, from adhering to these urinary tract epithelial cells by affecting the surface properties of the bacteria"
• Cranberry extracts may prevent colon cancer: Lab study - Nutra USA, 2/13/09 - "These findings are important because they demonstrate that the F-κB signalling pathway provides a potential mechanistic link between inflammation and cancer and that the anti-inflammatory properties of crude cranberry extract or quercetin can be used to modulate this pathway" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com.
• Cranberries Might Help Prevent Urinary Infections In Women - Science Daily, 1/22/07 - "cranberry products significantly reduced UTIs over 12 months compared to the placebo/control groups. The cranberry treatment was more effective for women who suffered from recurrent UTIs"
• Cranberries Give Boost to Cancer Drug - WebMD, 8/21/07 - "compounds isolated from cranberries kill human ovary, brain, and prostate cells in laboratory studies ... in the presence of cranberry extract -- which came from a commercially available, 27% juice cranberry drink -- platinum-based chemotherapy was six times more effective against platinum-resistant ovarian cancer cells"
• Research shows benefits of cranberries -MSNBC, 11/20/06 - "A compound Howell discovered in cranberries, proanthocyanidine, prevents plaque formation on teeth ... Drinking cranberry juice daily may increase levels of HDL, or good cholesterol and reduce levels of LDL, or bad cholesterol ... Cranberries may prevent tumors from growing rapidly or starting in the first place ..."
• Cranberry Juice Fights Heart Disease - WebMD, 3/24/03 - "Cranberry juice is higher in phenol antioxidants than other fruit juices with the exception of grape juice ... levels of high-density lipoprotein ("good" cholesterol) appeared to increase significantly -- by as much as 121% -- after two or three glasses of juice a day"
• Cranberry Juice May Prevent Urinary Tract Infections - New Hope Natural Media, 7/18/02 - "Women who consume cranberry juice (Vaccinium macrocarpon) on a daily basis may help prevent the urinary tract infections (UTIs), according to a new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association ... Another herbal treatment that may be helpful for UTIs is uva ursi"
• A Tiny Berry, A Pound Of Prevention - Intelihealth, 11/21/01 - "Compared with 19 other common fruits cranberries have the highest level of the antioxidant, phenol"
• The Cranberry Cure, A Glass a Day Could Keep Urinary Infections Away - WebMD, 6/29/01 - "After six months, only eight women taking cranberry juice had experienced a UTI, compared with 19 of those taking Lactobacillus, and 18 not taking anything"

Abstracts:

• Cranberry Juice Polyphenols Inhibited the Formation of Advanced Glycation End Products in Collagens, Inhibited Advanced Glycation End Product-Induced Collagen Crosslinking, and Cleaved the Formed Crosslinks - J Agric Food Chem 2022 Dec 1 - "Collagens in the human skin are susceptible to glycation due to their long half-life of about 15 years, accumulating advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The formation of AGEs and the subsequent AGE-induced collagen crosslinking are major factors for skin aging. The objective of this study was to determine the capacity of cranberry juice polyphenols (CJPs) and their fractions to inhibit collagen glycation and to break AGE-induced crosslinks in collagens ... All the fractions significantly inhibited collagen glycation assessed with the collagen-methylglyoxal (MGO) or collagen-dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) assays ... Results suggested that procyanidins were the most effective antiglycation agent in both collagen glycation assays, followed by flavonols and anthocyanins. High-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization─tandem mass spectrometry showed that the reactions of DHAA with quercetin or epicatechin formed several adducts with unreported proposed structures. This study suggested that CJPs may be used as active ingredients in cosmetics to prevent skin collagen glycation and crosslinking and to break the formed crosslinks" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com.
• Daily consumption of cranberry improves endothelial function in healthy adults: a double blind randomized controlled trial - Food Funct 2022 Mar 24 - "Previous studies indicate cardiovascular health benefits of cranberry juice consumption. However, whether daily consumption of whole cranberries will have sustained vascular benefits in healthy individuals is currently unknown ... Acute and daily consumption of whole cranberry powder for 1 month improves vascular function in healthy men and this is linked with specific metabolite profiles in plasma"
• Beverages Containing Plant-Derived Polyphenols Inhibit Growth and Biofilm Formation of Streptococcus mutans and Children’s Supragingival Plaque Bacteria - Beverages 2021, 7(3) - "Polyphenols in edible berries and tea plant (Camellia sinensis) suppressed virulence factors of oral pathogens. We investigated if the commercially marketed plant polyphenols-containing beverages inhibited growth and biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans and children’s dental plaque ... Test beverages included 26 marketed packaged teas, ready-to-drink bottled raspberry flavored teas and cranberry juice cocktails with and without added sugars ... Brewed infusions from black, green and cinnamon or raspberry flavored teas bags inhibited growth and biofilm formation of children’s plaque bacteria. Compared to controls, bottled raspberry flavored teas and cranberry juice cocktails significantly inhibited growth and biofilm formation of test bacteria. Added sugar did not significantly impact the inhibition (p > 0.05). Biofilms formed in these beverages were loosely attached and easily dislodged from surfaces"
• The effect of cranberry consumption on lipid metabolism and inflammation in human apolipoprotein A-I transgenic mice fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet - Br J Nutr 2020 Oct 16 - "This study investigated whether the consumption of cranberry (CR; Vaccinium macrocarpon) can alter high-density lipoprotein (HDL) metabolism and prevent inflammation in mice expressing human apolipoprotein A-I transgene (hApoAITg), which have similar HDL profiles to those of humans. Male hApoAITg mice were fed a modified American Institute of Nutrition-93M high-fat/high-cholesterol diet (16% fat, 0.25% cholesterol, w/w; n=15) or high-fat/high-cholesterol diet containing CR (5 % dried CR powder, w/w, n=16) for 8 weeks. There were no significant differences in body weight between the groups. Serum total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were significantly lower in control than CR group with no significant differences in serum HDL-C and apoA-I ... In conclusion, although CR consumption elicited minor effects on HDL metabolism, it prevented obesity-induced inflammation in eWAT with concomitant alterations in soleus muscle energy metabolism"
• Combined Cranberry Supplementation and Weight Loss Diet in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial - Int J Food Sci Nutr 2020 Apr 1 - "Participants were randomly allocated to receive either a cranberry supplement or a placebo for 12 weeks. Both groups were assigned to follow a weight loss diet. At the end of the study, alanine aminotransferase and insulin decreased significantly in both groups (p < .05); however, this reduction was significantly greater in the cranberry group than in the placebo group (p < .05). Significant improvements in insulin resistance were observed in the cranberry group and between the two groups (p < .001 and p = .020, respectively). Also, there was an improvement in steatosis grade and anthropometric measurements in both groups (p < .05), and there was no significant difference between the two groups in regard to these factors (p > .05). It seems that 288 mg of cranberry extract might improve managing NAFLD, which is equivalent to 26 g of dried cranberry" - [Nutra USA] - cranberry extract at Amazon.com and iHerb.
• Cranberry Reduces the Risk of Urinary Tract Infection Recurrence in Otherwise Healthy Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - J Nutr. 2017 Oct 1 - "Results of the meta-analysis showed that cranberry reduced the risk of UTI by 26%" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com.
• Strawberry and cranberry polyphenols improve insulin sensitivity in insulin-resistant, non-diabetic adults: a parallel, double-blind, controlled and randomised clinical trial - Br J Nutr. 2017 Mar 14:1-13 - "Plant-derived foods rich in polyphenols are associated with several cardiometabolic health benefits, such as reduced postprandial hyperglycaemia ... strawberry and cranberry polyphenols (SCP) ... A 6-week dietary intervention with 333 mg of polyphenols from strawberries and cranberries improved insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese non-diabetic, insulin-resistant human subjects but was not effective in improving other cardiometabolic risk factors"
• Cranberry (poly)phenol metabolites correlate with improvements in vascular function: A double-blind, randomized, controlled, dose-response, crossover study - Mol Nutr Food Res. 2016 May 31 - "(Poly)phenols in cranberry juice can improve vascular function in healthy males and this is linked to the presence of specific newly identified plasma metabolites"
• Consumption of cranberry polyphenols enhances human gammadelta-T cell proliferation and reduces the number of symptoms associated with colds and influenza: a randomized, placebo-controlled intervention study - Nutr J. 2013 Dec 13;12(1):161 - "Subjects drank a low calorie cranberry beverage (450 ml) made with a juice-derived, powdered cranberry fraction (n = 22) or a placebo beverage (n = 23), daily, for 10 wk ... The proliferation index of gammadelta-T cells in culture was almost five times higher after 10 wk of cranberry beverage consumption (p <0.001). In the cranberry beverage group, the incidence of illness was not reduced, however significantly fewer symptoms of illness were reported"
• The effectiveness of dried cranberries ( Vaccinium macrocarpon) in men with lower urinary tract symptoms Br J Nutr. 2010 Aug 31:1-9 - "In contrast to the control group, patients in the cranberry group had statistically significant improvement in International Prostate Symptom Score, QoL, urination parameters including voiding parameters (rate of urine flow, average flow, total volume and post-void residual urine volume), and lower total PSA level on day 180 of the study" - [Nutra USA]
• Plasma Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 Levels Are Reduced following Low-Calorie Cranberry Juice Supplementation in Men - J Am Coll Nutr. 2009 Dec;28(6):694-701 - "Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, also known as gelatinase B, is implicated in the development of hypertension and atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability to rupture, an important step in the etiology of cardiovascular diseases ... cranberry juice cocktail (CJC) ... We found that CJC supplementation significantly decreased plasma MMP-9 concentrations (mean +/- SEM: -36% +/- 9%, p < 0.0005; week 12 vs. baseline) while baseline plasma MMP-9 concentrations strongly correlated with the changes noted over the entire intervention (r = -0.71, p < 0.0001). We also show that the reduction in plasma MMP-9 levels was associated with a change in plasma nitrites/nitrates (NOx) concentration over the entire intervention (r = -0.38, p < 0.05; week 12 vs. baseline). Significant correlations were also noted between changes in plasma MMP-9 levels and those of systolic (r = 0.39, p < 0.05) and diastolic (r = 0.60, p < 0.001) blood pressure during the course of the study (week 12 vs. baseline). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that daily CJC consumption is associated with a decrease in plasma MMP-9 concentrations in abdominally obese men. We hypothesize that polyphenolic compounds from cranberries may be responsible for this effect, supporting the notion that the consumption of flavonoid-rich foods can exert cardioprotective effects"
• Regulation of Vascular Endothelial Function by Procyanidin-Rich Foods and Beverages (dagger) - J Agric Food Chem. 2010 Jan 28 - "Evaluation of the relative effects of extracts of cranberry juice compared to apple, cocoa, red wine, and green tea showed inhibition of ET-1 synthesis was dependent primarily on their oligomeric procyanidin content. Procyanidin-rich extracts of cranberry juice triggered morphological changes in endothelial cells with reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and increased immunostaining for phosphotyrosine residues ... procyanidin tetramer, pentamer, hexamer, and heptamer produced concentration-dependent decreases with IC(50) values of 5.4, 1.6, 0.9, and 0.7 muM, respectively. Levels of ET-1 mRNA showed a similar pattern of decreases, which were inversely correlated with increased expression of Kruppel-like factor 2 (KLF2), a key endothelial transcription factor with a broad range of antiatherosclerotic actions including suppression of ET-1 synthesis" - See cranberry extract at Amazon.com and grape seed extract at Amazon.com.
• Effect of cranberry extracts on lipid profiles in subjects with Type 2 diabetes - Diabet Med. 2008 Dec;25(12):1473-7 - "Changes in lipid profiles, oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), glycaemic control, components of the metabolic syndrome, C-reactive protein (CRP) and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) were assessed after cranberry or placebo treatment for 12 weeks ... Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol decreased significantly in the cranberry group (from 3.3 +/- 0.2 to 2.9 +/- 0.2 mmol/l, P = 0.005) and the decrease was significantly greater than that in the placebo group (-0.4 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.2 +/- 0.1 mmol/l, P < 0.001). Total cholesterol and total : high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio also decreased significantly (P = 0.020 and 0.044, respectively) in the cranberry group and the reductions were significantly different from those in the placebo group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.032, respectively) ... Cranberry supplements are effective in reducing atherosclerotic cholesterol profiles, including LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol levels, as well as total : HDL cholesterol ratio, and have a neutral effect on glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetic subjects taking oral glucose-lowering agents"
• Favourable impact of low-calorie cranberry juice consumption on plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations in men - Br J Nutr. 2006 Aug;96(2):357-64 - "daily CJC consumption is associated with an increase in plasma HDL-cholesterol concentrations in abdominally obese men. We hypothesise that polyphenolic compounds from cranberries may be responsible for this effect, supporting the notion that the consumption of flavonoid-rich foods can be cardioprotective"
• Potential of cranberry-based herbal synergies for diabetes and hypertension management - Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2006;15(3):433-41 - "The analysis of alpha -glucosidase,alpha -amylase, and ACE-I inhibitory activities suggested that inhibition depend on the phenolic profile of each unique extract and by bringing together synergistic combinations to cranberry, health beneficial functionality was enhanced. This enhanced functionality in terms of high alpha -glucosidase and alpha -amylase inhibitory activities indicate the potential for diabetes management, and high ACE-I inhibitory activity indicates the potential for hypertension management"
• Efficacy of Cranberry Juice on Helicobacter pylori Infection: a Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial - Helicobacter. 2005 Apr;10(2):139-45 - "These results are significant ... Regular consumption of cranberry juice can suppress H. pylori infection in endemically afflicted populations"