Pomegranate Juice Consumption for 3 Years by Patients with Carotid Artery Stenosis Reduces Common Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, and Blood Pressure

This randomized controlled pilot study of 19 patients (ages 65-75) is the first to show that pomegranate juice may reduce the amount of plaque in the arteries of patients with heavy plaque buildup (severe carotid artery stenosis) as well as substantially benefiting several important blood parameters.

Ten patients consumed 8 oz. a day of pomegranate juice for 1 year. Nine patients who did not consume pomegranate juice served as controls. The intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery wall was measured and blood samples were taken at the beginning of the study and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.

After 1 year, those patients who did not consume pomegranate juice showed a 9% increase in IMT, while those consuming juice showed a decrease in IMT of up to 30%. Furthermore, for those drinking pomegranate juice, systolic (but not diastolic) blood pressure was reduced by 21%, total antioxidant status of the blood increased by 130%, LDL oxidation decreased by 90%, antibodies to oxidized LDL decreased by 19% and serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) increased by 83%.

Major blood biochemical markers were not affected, including levels of LDL and HDL cholesterol.

Benefits were maintained in five patients who continued drinking pomegranate juice for 2 additional years, with further improvements in serum lipid peroxidation.

Aviram M, Rosenblat M, Gaitini D, Nitecki S, Hoffman A, Dornfeld, Volkova N, Presser D, Attias J, Liker H, Hayek T. Clinical Nutrition (2004), 23: 423-433.