In a recent review published in Nutrients, researchers analyzed existing data on the benefits of pomegranate consumption on metabolic disorders, they note news-medical.com.
Pomegranate, a natural nutrient, has long been used to treat bacterial infections, diabetes, obesity and other metabolic disorders. However, there have been concerns raised about the side effects of pharmacological therapies such as anti-obesity drugs and insulin-sensitizing drugs. Modern research supports the health-promoting advantages of natural products and diets rich in polyphenols, including antibacterial, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity and atheroprotective qualities.
In this review, researchers examined the pharmacokinetic characteristics, safety, and bioavailability of pomegranate compounds in the prevention of metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease.
Prevention of metabolic disorders by consuming pomegranate
Pomegranate is a fruit that can reduce insulin resistance, cytokine levels, redox gene expression, increased blood pressure, vascular damage, and oxidative damage to lipoproteins.
In a mouse study, dietary treatment with pomegranate seed oil reduced fat mass and body weight while improving insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues.
Studies have reported weight reductions after consuming pomegranate extract for 30 days.
Polyphenols are natural chemical compounds found in plants and have been associated with a number of health benefits due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
Traditional medicine considers pomegranate polyphenols for their antidiabetic properties.
Short-term therapy with pomegranate peel extract can reduce blood glucose and lipid peroxidation.
Studies have indicated that eating pomegranate can improve plasma cholesterol concentrations in hyperlipidemic patients and control lipid parameters in dyslipidemic individuals with type 2 diabetes.
Although the traditional medicine literature supports the use of pomegranate and its potential to improve health outcomes, several toxicological studies have shown altered cellular components and nuclear damage following pomegranate administration.
Toxicological studies of pomegranate seed oil, a high source of punicic acid, have shown that it is neither mutagenic nor clastogenic. Post-mortem examinations revealed no cellular abnormalities, and consumption of 4.3 g/kg/day of pomegranate produced no harm. The consumption of pomegranate or compounds from these fruits seems safe, the adverse effects being predicted at much higher doses than those observed in traditional ethnomedicine treatments and currently used for therapeutic purposes.
Overall, the findings of the review showed that consumption of pomegranate may help prevent metabolic disorders such as hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia.
However, clinical and pharmacokinetic studies are inconsistent due to factors such as plant part selection, cultivation, geographic region, bioclimatic and soil characteristics, plasma bioavailability, organ accessibility, and nutrigenomic considerations. Regardless of these variations, the medicinal efficacy of pomegranate in treating components of the metabolic syndrome requires multifaceted therapeutic approaches.
2023-11-30 21:00:25
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