Challenges for research on dietary polyphenols in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases – New propositions for a structure-function analysis

Much evidence supports the role of dietary polyphenols in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. However polyphenols are not all equal. Their bioavailability and biological properties differ widely according to their fine chemical structures, and the exact nature of the most protective compounds is still largely unknown. New tools are clearly needed to explore the links between intakes of individual polyphenols and the risk of cardiovascular disease. We have built a new comprehensive database on polyphenol contents in foods called Phenol-Explorer (http://www.phenol-explorer.eu/) that includes more than 36,000 composition data for 502 polyphenols in 452 foods. This database is being further developed to include data on polyphenol metabolites and their concentrations in plasma and urine. The data is being used in cohort studies to estimate intake of the 502 polyphenols and the resulting concentrations of polyphenol metabolites. This will allow exploration of the links between polyphenols and disease risk with an unparalleled precision.