Background:
Yerba mate tea, made from tree leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, is a widely consumed beverage in South America. Animal studies have reported improvement in serum lipids parameters and reduction in cholesterol content and size of aortic lesions with consumption of ilex paraguariensis extracts, that contain potentially bioactive saponin, phenolic compounds and methilxanthines. Few studies have been conducted in humans, mostly pilot studies. Evidence on the association between mate tea consumption and lipid profile, Apolipoprotein (Apo) AI, Apo B and C-reactive protein (CRP) in humans are sparse. We assessed these associations among adults from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
Methods:
CESCAS I (Center of Excellence in Cardiovascular Health of South America Study I) study is an observational population-based prospective cohort study of 7,600 participants from general population of four cities in the three countries. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis in a randomly selected subsample of 988 subjects aged 35 to 74 years. Participants with previous cardiovascular events or receiving lipid-lowering agents were excluded. Mate consumption and other dietary habits were assessed using a previously validated 126-item food frequency questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression models were used to examine the associations between Apo AI, B, CRP, and other lipids by tertiles (T) of mate tea consumption. The models adjusted for age, smoking status, body mass index, physical activity, alcohol intake, ‘prudent’ or ‘Western’ diet-pattern scores (identified by principal component analysis), added sugar to the mate, and presence of diabetes.
Results:
The sample included 418 men and 570 women. The proportion of mate drinkers (at least once a month during last year) were 40% in Temuco (Chile), 84% in Canelones (Uruguay), 89% in Marcos Paz and 91% in Bariloche (Argentina). Median mate intake across tertiles was 0, 590 and 1875ml/day in men and 0, 625 and 1875ml/day in women, respectively. Higher mate consumption (T3 vs. T1) was independently associated with higher levels of Apo AI in both men (5.1mg/L, 95% CI, 0.1 to 10.1) and women (6.7mg/L, 95% CI, 1.5 to 11.9). In men higher mate consumption was also associated with lower levels of triglycerides (-49mg/dL, 95% CI, -11 to -86) and in women with slightly lower Apo B/AI ratio (-0.05, 95% CI, -0.001 to -0.06). Differences in total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, Apo B, and CRP were not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
Among generally healthy adults, higher consumption of mate during the past 12 months was associated with higher levels of APO-A1 in both men and women, and with lower triglycerides levels in men.
Effect of an Ilex paraguariensis (yerba mate) extract on infarct size in isolated rat hearts: the mechanisms involved