Cranberry extracts may enhance gut health and assist in preventing diseases like diabetes and heart disease. A study conducted by Université Laval and the Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF) found positive effects after just four days of use. Cranberries and other berries are linked to various health benefits, mostly due to their high levels of antioxidants.Their high levels of polyphenols, in the form of tannins, are a notable feature. Additionally, they contain significant amounts of oligosaccharides, which are small fibers believed to contribute to their bioactivity.
A team of researchers, headed by Yves Desjardins, a professor at the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, has demonstrated that the polyphenols and oligosaccharides found in cranberry extract can enhance the genus Bifidobacterium. This genus is associated with a reduced risk of diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases. According to Jac, “Normally, these bacteria are stimulated by dietary fiber consumption. We observed the same effect with cranberry extract at a dose nearly 20 times lower.”ob Lessard-Lord, a postdoctoral fellow at INAF, has found that cranberry extracts can activate the Akkermansia muciniphila bacterium. This bacterium is essential for maintaining the health of the intestinal mucosa and reducing inflammation. It also helps to strengthen the intestinal barrier, which is important for protecting the body from harmful effects of a Western diet. This diet can disrupt the microbiota, cause mucosal inflammation, and compromise the integrity of the intestinal barrier. When the intestinal barrier is compromised, it allows the passage of lipopolysaccharides, which can have negative effects on the body.”The presence of metabolic endotoxemia, derived from the intestinal microbiota, is a crucial factor in causing inflammation and metabolic diseases,” Yves Desjardins explains. “This constant inflammation resulting from LPS in the body can lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.”
By incorporating cranberry extracts into a balanced diet, it is possible to alter the inflammatory pathway and improve the outlook for chronic diseases. This is achieved by stimulating the Akkermansia muciniphila bacterium and Bifidobacterium, which helps in the regeneration and recreation of an anti-inflammatory microbiota.an inflammatory environment, leading to stronger connections between intestinal barrier cells, which helps to reinforce it.
For the study, around forty volunteers from INAF were directed to take a capsule cranberry supplement twice a day, in the morning and evening, equivalent to consuming 60 grams of fresh cranberries. Plasma, urine, and stool samples were collected from participants at the start of the experiment and after four days. The human study was conducted after positive findings in the SHIME in vitro system, which replicates portions of an inflamed gastrointestinal tract.
The research team is now interested in exploring the long-term effects of the extracts within the intestine. “It’s promising to see a beneficial effect after just four days,” Jacob Lessard-Lord expresses with enthusiasm.
While cranberries had a positive impact on all participants, the results showed variations in their responses. Future research will determine which microbiota signatures respond best to the extracts.
The study was conducted as part of the NSERC-Symrise Industrial Research Chair on the prebiotic effect of fruit and vegetable polyphenols (PhenoBio+). Symrise has launched a product based on the team’s findings.
