The ANTIATERO-ALIM Study: Effects of functional foods with vegetal bioactive ingredients in the metabolic syndrome

Introduction The metabolic syndrome is associated with insulin resistance, high oxidative stress and increase of visceral fat. We have developed functional foods with vegetal bioactive ingredients to test the reversibility of this condition. Methods The ANTIATERO-ALIM study is a randomized, parallel design nutritional trial testing a functional food diet given 3 months against a normal Western diet. Functional meals included balsamic vinegar from apples and honey, grape juice enriched with mono- and polyphenols from seeds and skins of red grapes, bread enriched with microelements and tomato juice with rosemary and basil extracts. 180 pts with metabolic syndrome were randomized into 4 groups: gr 1: functional foods + Ω-3 supplements, gr 2: functional foods, gr 3: Ω-3 supplements, gr 4: control. The follow-up of the metabolic syndrome was made at inclusion and at 3 months. We assessed VFA (visceral fat area) by bioimpedance, HOMA-IR score for insulin resistance, lipidic profile, adiponectin, oxidative stress. Results The mean age of the patients included in the study was 55.75±9.03, 120M, 60F, BMI=35.24±5.15kg/m2. Mean SBP was 147.23±18.25mmHg, DBP was 87.98±12.65mmHg, TGL=176.16±92.58mg/dl, HDL=48.37±11.98mg/dl, glycemia=109.72±33.9mg/dl, waist circumference=112.34±9.94cm. HOMA-IR was increased in 63.6% patients (mean 4.02±3.08) and radicalic activity was >310uFORT in 68% patients. After 3 months the paired t-test revealed a significant decrease of oxidative stress in gr 1, from 329.06±65.58 to 271.27±90.49 FORT units (p=0.02) and a significant increase of adiponectin in gr 1 from 10.94±7.56 to 17.57±13.69 microg/ml (p=0.03). Discussion The long-term effects of this diet, still under study, could lead to promising results in the reversibility of the pathogenetic links of the metabolic syndrome.

Acknowledgement: Grant CEEX 44/2006 funded by the Romanian Ministry of Research, program AGRAL.