Researchers have found that berry-derived anthocyanin supplements increase HDL cholesterol and reduce LDL cholesterol in patients with dyslipidemia (abnormal blood lipid levels).
Berries are rich in anthocyanins, flavonoid pigments found in red and purple fruits that act as powerful antioxidants.
A total of 120 dyslipidemic subjects (age 40-65 y) were given 160 mg anthocyanin supplements twice daily or placebo for 12 weeks in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.
Anthocyanin consumption increased HDL cholesterol concentrations by 13.7% in the anthocyanin group and by 2.8% in the placebo groups, and decreased LDL cholesterol concentrations by 13.6% in the anthocyanin and -0.6% in the placebo groups.
The cellular cholesterol efflux to serum (removal of cholesterol from cells) increased more in the anthocyanin group than in the placebo group (20.0% and 0.2%, respectively).
Anthocyanin supplementation decreased the mass and activity of plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) (10.4% and 6.3% in the anthocyanin group and -3.5% and 1.1% in the placebo group, respectively). A deficiency of CETP is associated with increased HDL cholesterol levels and decreased LDL cholesterol levels
In the anthocyanin group, the change in HDL cholesterol was negatively correlated with the change in CETP activity. The change in LDL cholesterol was positively correlated with the change in CETP mass.
The change in cellular cholesterol efflux to serum was positively correlated with the change in HDL cholesterol.
The study concluded that anthocyanin supplementation in humans improves LDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol concentrations and enhances the cellular cholesterol efflux to serum. These benefits may be due to the inhibition of CETP.
References:
1. Yu Qin, Min Xia, Jing Ma, YuanTao Hao, Jing Liu, HaiYing Mou, Li Cao, WenHua Ling. Anthocyanin supplementation improves serum LDL- and HDL-cholesterol concentrations associated with the inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein in dyslipidemic subjects. Am J Clin Nutr (July 29, 2009). doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.27814.
2. Barter PJ, Brewer HB Jr, Chapman MJ, Hennekens CH, Rader DJ, Tall AR. Cholesteryl ester transfer protein: a novel target for raising HDL and inhibiting atherosclerosis. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2003 Feb 1;23(2):160-7. PMID: 12588754.
