Impact of a Supplementation with Polyphenol Extract and L-citrulline on Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Pre-Hypertensive Individuals

Abstract Objectives To investigate the short-term impact of supplementation with a combination of polyphenols extracts and L-citrulline on ambulatory blood pressure (BP), vascular function and inflammation in pre-hypertensive individuals. Methods In a randomized double-blind parallel trial, men and women with pre-hypertension were subjected to 6-wk supplementation with 764 mg/day of polyphenols extracts from cranberries and grape seeds and 2 g/day of L-citrulline (n = 35) or with placebo (cellulose, n = 34). The primary outcome of this study was the change in 24-hour ambulatory BP, which was monitored every 20 minutes during daytime and every 60 minutes during nighttime both at baseline and at week 6 post-intervention. Secondary outcomes included glycation products, a proxy of vascular function measured by a sensitive cutaneous optical method as well as blood lipids and CRP. Changes in study outcomes were analyzed using mixed models in SAS. The potential impact of sex and obesity status on the response to supplementation was also considered in the analysis. Results Supplementation with the polyphenol extracts and L-citrulline had no impact on mean ambulatory systolic (P > 0.10) and diastolic (P > 0.50) BP. However, the ambulatory systolic BP response was different in men and women (Pinteraction < 0.01 for 24-h BP and daytime BP) but not the diastolic BP. The ambulatory systolic BP after supplementation compared with placebo was significantly reduced in women (24-h BP −3.9 mmHg, P = 0.01; daytime BP −4.4 mmHg, P = 0.005) but not in men (24-h BP + 1.8 mmHg, P = 0.48; daytime BP + 1.8 mmHg, P = 0.55). A trend for a reduction in glycation products was observed after polyphenol and L-citrulline supplementation compared to placebo (P = 0.07) but there was no difference in the concentrations of blood lipids (P > 0.20 for all) or CRP (P = 0.36) between treatments. Conclusions Supplementation with polyphenol extracts/L-citrulline for 6 weeks may reduce ambulatory systolic BP in pre-hypertensive women, but not in men. The present data also indicate that the polyphenols extract/L-citrulline supplement has no impact on blood lipids and CRP in pre-hypertensive men and women. Funding Sources The study was funded by Atrium Innovations. Supplement of polyphenol extracts and L-citrulline as well as placebo were supplied by Pure Encapsulations.