The effect of berry-based food interventions on markers of cardiovascular and metabolic health: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials

cope Epidemiological evidence, animal and in vitro studies suggest that berry consumption may ameliorate markers of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate findings from berry-based randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to establish the effects of berry consumption on markers of cardiovascular and metabolic health. Methods and results PubMed and Web of Science were searched for RCTs investigating berry consumption on CVD risk outcomes in adults. A total of 23 studies (which includes 1,168 participants) out of 1,384 records met the inclusion criteria. Of these 23 studies, 17 RCTs were of high quality, where 12 RCTs (71%), reported beneficial effects of berry consumption on CVD risk markers. Overall, 4/11 RCTs that observed a reduction in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure (BP); 3/7 RCTs reported favourable effects on endothelial function, 2/3 RCTs reported improvements in arterial stiffness, 7/17 studies observed benefits in blood lipids and 3/6 studies reported improvements in glycemic profile. Conclusion Our evaluation of the literature indicates that more than two-thirds of high-quality trials have reported beneficial effects of berry consumption on markers of CVD risk. This systematic review contributes moderate to strong evidence for the inclusion of berries as part of a cardio-protective diet. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved