Hypertension- and glycaemia-lowering effects of a grape-pomace-derived seasoning in high-cardiovascular risk and healthy subjects. Interplay with the gut microbiome

• Published in: Food & function Vol. 13; no. 4; pp. 268 - 282
• Main Authors: Taladrid, Diego, de Celis, Miguel, Belda, Ignacio, Bartolomé, Begoña, Moreno-Arribas, M. Victoria
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Royal Society of Chemistry 21.02.2022
• Subjects: Additives; Adult; Antihypertensive Agents - pharmacology; Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use; blood; Blood glucose; Blood pressure; Blood Pressure - drug effects; Byproducts; Cardiotonic Agents - pharmacology; Cardiotonic Agents - therapeutic use; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular Diseases - prevention & control; clinical trials; Condiments; Dietary fiber; Dietary Fiber - pharmacology; Dietary Fiber - therapeutic use; Fatty acids; Feces; Female; Food additives; Functional Food; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - drug effects; Gene sequencing; genes; grape pomace; Grapes; Health risks; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Hypertension; Hypoglycemic Agents - pharmacology; Hypoglycemic Agents - therapeutic use; Intestinal microflora; intestinal microorganisms; Male; Metabolites; metadata; Microbiomes; Microbiota; Microorganisms; Middle Aged; Modulation; Nutrient deficiency; Phenols; Phytotherapy; Polyphenols; Risk analysis; Risk factors; rRNA 16S; Treatment Outcome; urine; Vitis; Wineries
• ISSN: 2042-6496; 2042-650X; 2042-650X
• DOI: 10.1039/d1fo03942c

Purpose : Grape pomace (GP) is a winery by-product rich in polyphenols and dietary fibre. Some recent results suggest that GP-derived extracts could be promising additives in food, specially recommended for low-salt diets. The hypothesis tested in this paper is that the regular consumption of GP-derived seasonings could help in the control of hypertension and glycaemia. Methods : A randomized intervention study (6 weeks) was performed in high-risk cardiovascular subjects ( n = 17) and in healthy subjects ( n = 12) that were randomly allocated into intervention (2 g day −1 of GP seasoning) or control (no seasoning consumed) groups. Blood samples, faeces, urine and blood pressure (BP) were taken at the baseline and at the end of the intervention. Faecal samples were analysed for microbiota composition (16S rRNA gene sequencing) and microbial-derived metabolites (short chain fatty acids and phenolic metabolites). Results : Among the clinical parameters studied, BP and fasting blood glucose significantly decreased ( p < 0.05) after the seasoning intervention, but not for the control group. Notably, application of a novel approach based on ASV (Amplicon Sequence Variant) co-occurrence networks allowed us to identify some bacterial communities whose relative abundances were related with metadata. Conclusion : Our primary findings suggest that GP-seasoning may help in the modulation of cardiometabolic risk factors, mainly in the early stages. Furthermore, it evidences modulation of gut microbiota and functional bacterial communities by grape pomace, which might mediate the cardiometabolic effects of this by-product. Grape pomace (GP) is a winery by-product rich in polyphenols and dietary fibre.