During the Society for Endocrinology BES 2011 conference, researchers at the Queen Margaret University, in Edinburgh, Scotland, studied the effects of drinking pomegranate.

First, the details.

• Participants were randomly assigned to a treatment group.
  • Pomegranate juice 500 mL/day containing 1685 mg total phenolics/L followed before and one week later by 2, 30 minute treadmill exercise sessions (50% Wmax [half maximal power output])
  • Placebo: Water consumption instead of pomegranate followed by the treadmill.
• 24-hour urine samples were collected and blood pressure monitored before and after each session.
• Urinary lipid peroxidation levels (an indicator of oxidative stress in tissues and cells) and free cortisol and cortisone levels were measured in all urine samples.

And, the results.

• Pomegranate juice significantly decreased systolic blood pressure (pre-exercise: 141 to 136 mmHg, and post-exercise: 156 to 150 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (91 to 87 mmHg and 103 to 95 mmHg).
• Urinary lipid peroxidation levels also decreased significantly.
• There was no significant change in lipid peroxidation or blood pressure among those who consumed water.
• Urinary free cortisol was reduced, however there was a statistically significant increase in urinary free cortisone, and a decrease in free cortisol/cortisone ratio following 1 week of pomegranate juice intake.

The bottom line?

The authors concluded, “Pomegranate juice seems to exert beneficial effects in reducing blood pressure pre/post exercise and lipid peroxidation levels due to exercise-induced oxidative stress.”

These results support an earlier review, here. Although my PubMed search revealed no studies of pomegranate in people with high blood pressure.

4/20/11 20:38 JR