Effect of Biophenol-rich Pomegranate Extract Intake on Blood Pressure, Hormones, Body Composition and Quality of Life in Healthy Volunteers.

Biophenols can act as powerful antioxidants. Pomegranate (Punica granatum) provides a rich and varied source of biophenols with the most abundant being ellagitannins, tannins, anthocyanins, ellagic and gallic acids. Interest in antioxidant polyphenol-rich pomegranate products has increased in recent years with growing reports of potential health benefits. Pomegranate biophenols have been noted to lower systolic blood pressure, salivary stress hormones and increase insulin sensitivity in previous trials involving participants who have cardiovascular disease, but few studies have been conducted recruiting healthy volunteers, and those have made use of pomegranate juice rather than extract. The aim of this parallel study is to investigate the effect of pomegranate extract supplementation on blood pressure, lipid profiles, salivary stress hormones, insulin sensitivity, body composition and the perceived quality of life in healthy volunteers over 4 weeks. It hypothesizes that consumption of biophenol-rich Pomegranate extract could increase insulin sensitivity and perceived quality of life while decreasing blood pressure, body measurements and stress hormones in healthy individuals.