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Watermelon is the only food with a unique combination of amino acids and antioxidants that may reduce artery stiffness. However, only 27% of older adults meet the daily recommendation for fruit intake. Because it tastes good and is convenient and easy to consume, watermelon juice is an innovative and impactful intervention to help elders easily meet recommendations for fruit servings. If effective, this intervention would be a simple, inexpensive way to combat cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Results will advance science by providing a better understanding whether four-week consumption of 100% watermelon juice may impact measures of vascular health and inflammation in postmenopausal women.
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Purpose and Objectives:
Vascular endothelial dysfunction is an early independent predictor of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the leading cause of death for women ages 60 and older in the United States1. It is well-known that age-related decreases in vascular endothelial function are partially due to increases in oxidative stress and inflammation.In attempts to combat CVD, previous intervention studies have investigated provision of isolated bioactive food compounds (BFC) in supplemental form. For example, purified lycopene has been shown to decrease oxidative stress, and our previous work supports the supplemental use of glutamine and arginine in improving vascular endothelial function of older adults. Arginine is a precursor for the vasodilatory molecule nitric oxide (NO), and both glutamine and arginine have been shown to attenuate inflammation. Thus, if supplemented together, these compounds would be expected to exert synergist mechanistic effects that improve vascular function.
Watermelon is one of the richest sources of lycopene, and it is among the greatest plant sources of arginine and glutamine. Watermelon also provides high amounts of citrulline (a precursor of arginine) along with the antioxidant ascorbic acid, which enhances the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of carotenoids such as lycopene in biological samples. To date, clinical studies evaluating the potential synergy of these compounds provided by the whole food are lacking on mechanistic and clinical outcomes of CVD. The effects of watermelon supplementation on robust measures of vascular function, inflammation, and oxidative stress in women ages 60 and older are unknown. This study will evaluate the possible impact of multiple bioactive compounds in the natural food matrix of watermelon in order to fully characterize their potential synergy and their influence on CVD risk. Specifically, our proposed study seeks to evaluate the influence of bioactive compounds in 100% watermelon juice, a convenient serving alternative to fresh fruit, using a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial with a crossover design.
Specific Aims:
Mechanistic: To determine whether community-dwelling, non-obese women ages 55-69 consuming two 12-ounce servings of 100% watermelon juice per day versus placebo for four weeks will demonstrate:
Clinical: To determine whether community-dwelling, women ages 55-69 consuming two 12-ounce servings of 100% watermelon juice per day versus placebo for four weeks will exhibit:
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21 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group
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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov
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