Assessing the Impact of (Poly)phenol-Rich Foods on Cardiometabolic Risk in Postmenopausal Women Original paper
Researched by:
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Divine Aleru
ID
Divine Aleru
I am a biochemist with a deep curiosity for the human microbiome and how it shapes human health, and I enjoy making microbiome science more accessible through research and writing. With 2 years experience in microbiome research, I have curated microbiome studies, analyzed microbial signatures, and now focus on interventions as a Microbiome Signatures and Interventions Research Coordinator.
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Women’s Health
Women’s Health
Women’s health, a vital aspect of medical science, encompasses various conditions unique to women’s physiological makeup. Historically, women were often excluded from clinical research, leading to a gap in understanding the intricacies of women’s health needs. However, recent advancements have highlighted the significant role that the microbiome plays in these conditions, offering new insights and potential therapies. MicrobiomeSignatures.com is at the forefront of exploring the microbiome signature of each of these conditions to unravel the etiology of these diseases and develop targeted microbiome therapies.
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Menopause
Menopause
Menopause impacts many aspects of health, including the gut microbiome, weight management, and hormone balance. Diet, probiotics, intermittent fasting, and HRT offer effective management strategies.
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Divine Aleru
Researched by:
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Divine Aleru
ID
Divine Aleru
Microbiome Signatures identifies and validates condition-specific microbiome shifts and interventions to accelerate clinical translation. Our multidisciplinary team supports clinicians, researchers, and innovators in turning microbiome science into actionable medicine.
Divine Aleru
What was studied?
This study conducted a dietary intervention to evaluate the effects of daily consumption of (poly)phenol-rich foods on cardiometabolic risk biomarkers in postmenopausal women. Over two months, participants supplemented their diets with specific foods rich in (poly)phenols, 85% cocoa dark chocolate, green tea, and a fruit juice blend (pomegranate, orange, and berries), to assess impacts on oxidative stress, inflammation, lipid profiles, blood pressure, and endothelial function.
Who was studied?
The study recruited 25 postmenopausal women aged 45 to 65 years from Murcia, Spain, with at least 12 months of amenorrhea, overweight or obesity, and at least one cardiometabolic risk marker such as high body fat or waist-to-hip ratio. Participants followed their usual Mediterranean-based diet during the trial and were free from endocrine, hepatic, or other severe pathologies. Smoking and restrictive diet users were excluded to avoid confounders.
Most important findings
The intervention provided a daily total of 1226 µmol (poly)phenols, mainly flavan-3-ols, hydrolyzable tannins, flavanones, anthocyanins, and phenolic acids, with dark chocolate contributing the most antioxidant capacity. After two months, participants showed slight but consistent improvements in multiple cardiometabolic parameters, including reduced systolic and diastolic blood pressure, decreased triglycerides and very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and improvements in insulin resistance indices (HOMA-IR). Oxidative stress biomarker thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARs) significantly decreased, indicating a lowered oxidative burden. Additionally, improvements were observed in endothelial function biomarkers (sICAM-1, sVCAM-1) and anti-inflammatory adiponectin, though these changes were modest and subject to high inter-individual variability. The gut microbiome’s role is implicated as a key factor influencing (poly)phenol metabolism, affecting the bioavailability and subsequent health benefits of these compounds.
Key implications
This study supports the potential of dietary (poly)phenol-rich foods to ameliorate cardiometabolic risk factors during menopause by reducing oxidative stress and improving vascular and inflammatory markers. Given the variability in response linked to gut microbiome activity, personalized nutrition approaches that consider microbiome composition may optimize therapeutic effects. These findings highlight the importance of non-pharmacological, diet-based interventions as adjuncts or alternatives to hormone replacement therapy for managing menopause-associated cardiometabolic risk.