scholarly journals Effect of Berberine on Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors: A Mechanistic Randomized Controlled Trial

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 2550
Author(s):  
Jie V. Zhao ◽  
Wai-Fung Yeung ◽  
Yap-Hang Chan ◽  
Dana Vackova ◽  
June Y. Y. Leung ◽  
...  

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major contributor to the global burden of disease. Berberine, a long-standing, widely used, traditional Chinese medicine, is thought to have beneficial effects on CVD risk factors and in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. The mechanisms and effects, specifically in men, possibly via testosterone, have not been examined previously. To assess the effect of berberine on CVD risk factors and any potential pathway via testosterone in men, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel trial in Hong Kong. In total, 84 eligible Chinese men with hyperlipidemia were randomized to berberine (500 mg orally, twice a day) or placebo for 12 weeks. CVD risk factors (lipids, thromboxane A2, blood pressure, body mass index and waist–hip ratio) and testosterone were assessed at baseline, and 8 and 12 weeks after intervention. We compared changes in CVD risk factors and testosterone after 12 weeks of intervention using analysis of variance, and after 8 and 12 weeks using generalized estimating equations (GEE). Of the 84 men randomized, 80 men completed the trial. Men randomized to berberine had larger reductions in total cholesterol (−0.39 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.70 to −0.08) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (−0.07 mmol/L, 95% CI −0.13 to −0.01) after 12 weeks. Considering changes after 8 and 12 weeks together, berberine lowered total cholesterol and possibly low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), and possibly increased testosterone. Changes in triglycerides, thromboxane A2, blood pressure, body mass index and waist–hip ratio after the intervention did not differ between the berberine and placebo groups. No serious adverse event was reported. Berberine is a promising treatment for lowering cholesterol. Berberine did not lower testosterone but instead may increase testosterone in men, suggesting sex-specific effects of berberine. Exploring other pathways and assessing sex differences would be worthwhile, with relevance to drug repositioning and healthcare.

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-95
Author(s):  
Amna Umer ◽  
Candice Hamilton ◽  
Lesley Cottrell ◽  
Peter Giacobbi ◽  
Kim Innes ◽  
...  

AbstractThe reported associations between birth weight and childhood cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors have been inconsistent. In this study, we investigated the relationship between birth weight and CVD risk factors at 11 years of age. This study used longitudinally linked data from three cross-sectional datasets (N = 22,136) in West Virginia; analysis was restricted to children born full-term (N = 19,583). The outcome variables included resting blood pressure [systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP)] and lipid profile [total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, non-HDL, and triglycerides (TG)]. Multiple regression analyses were performed, adjusting for child’s body mass index (BMI), sociodemographics, and lifestyle characteristics. Unadjusted analyses showed a statistically significant association between birth weight and SBP, DBP, HDL, and TG. When adjusted for the child’s BMI, the association between birth weight and HDL [b = 0.14 (95% CI: 0.11, 0.18) mg/dl per 1000 g increase] and between birth weight and TG [b = –0.007 (–0.008, –0.005) mg/dl per 1000 g increase] remained statistically significant. In the fully adjusted model, low birth weight was associated with higher LDL, non-HDL, and TGs, and lower HDL levels. The child’s current BMI at 11 years of age partially (for HDL, non-HDL, and TG) and fully mediated (for SBP and DBP) the relationship between birth weight and select CVD risk factors. While effects were modest, these risk factors may persist and amplify with age, leading to potentially unfavorable consequences in later adulthood.


2010 ◽  
Vol 109 (4) ◽  
pp. 1125-1132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels C. Møller ◽  
Anders Grøntved ◽  
Niels Wedderkopp ◽  
Mathias Ried-Larsen ◽  
Peter L. Kristensen ◽  
...  

Raised blood pressure (BP) response during exercise independently predicts future hypertension. Subjects with higher BP in childhood also have elevated BP later in life. Therefore, the factors related to the regulation of exercise BP in children needs to be well understood. We hypothesized that physiological cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors would influence BP response during exercise in children and adolescents. This is a cross-sectional study of 439 Danish third-grade children and 364 ninth-grade adolescents. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured with sphygmomanometer during a maximal aerobic fitness test. Examined CVD risk factors were high-density lipoprotein (HDL)- and low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, triglyceride, homeostasis model of assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) score, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and aerobic fitness. A random effect model was used to test the hypotheses. In boys, HOMA-IR score and BMI were positively related to SBP response during exercise (β = 1.03, P = 0.001, and β = 0.58, P = 0.017, respectively). The effects sizes of HOMA-IR score and BMI and the significance levels only changed slightly (β = 0.91, P = 0.004, and β = 0.43, P = 0.08, respectively) when the two variables were added in the same model. A significant positive association was observed between aerobic fitness and SBP response in girls (β = 3.13 and P = 0.002). HOMA-IR score and BMI were found to be positively related to the SBP response in male children and youth. At least partly, adiposity and insulin sensitivity seem to influence exercise SBP through different mechanisms. The positive relationship observed between aerobic fitness and SBP response in girls remains unexplainable for us, although post hoc analyses revealed that it was the case in the ninth graders only.


2021 ◽  
Vol In Press (In Press) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Stuwart Shaw ◽  
Stacey Turner ◽  
Ina Shaw

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) exemplifies a major medical problem as it is the most considerable cause of morbidity and mortality. While sport conditioning specialists understand and differentiate the different benefits of resistance training (RT) subtypes on athletic performance, this distinction is less clear for health professionals when designing CVD risk reduction programs. Objectives: This study attempted to investigate and compare the effects of hypertrophy and muscular endurance RT on CVD risk in sedentary males. Methods: Sedentary male smokers were randomly assigned to either an eight-week hypertrophy RT group (HTG) (n = 15), muscular endurance RT groups (METG) (n = 15), or a non-exercising control group (CON) (n = 15) to assess their impact on smoking, blood pressure, cholesterol, and cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max) variables associated with the four most prominent CVD risk factors. Data were analyzed using SPSS-25 software using a paired sample t-test and ANOVA. Results: Significant (P ≤ 0.05) improvements were found in three of the 15 measured variables in the HTG (resting mean arterial pressure (RMAP) (P = 0.024); total cholesterol (TC): HDL-C ratio (P = 0.009), and HDL-C: low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ratio (P = 0.038), with a deleterious decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P = 0.027). In turn, significant improvements were found in the METG in 10 of the 15 measured variables, namely; cigarettes smoked per day (P = 0.037), resting systolic blood pressure (RSBP) (P = 0.002), resting diastolic blood pressure (RDBP) (P = 0.006), RMAP (P = 0.000), TC (P = 0.010), triglycerides (TG) (P = 0.010), LDL-C (P = 0.007), HDL-C: LDL-C (P = 0.018), non-HDL-C (n-HDL-C) (P = 0.010), and VO2max (P = 0.001), and a deleterious decrease in HDL-C (P = 0.026). Conclusions: While the oversimplification of RT design for CVD reduction has resulted in cardio-centric CVD training programs, this study demonstrates that some subtypes of RT (i.e. muscular endurance training) may prove more useful than others in reducing multiple CVD risk factors simultaneously.


Circulation ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 135 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amna Umer ◽  
Candice Hamilton ◽  
Cris Britton ◽  
Lesley Cottrell ◽  
Peter Giacobbi ◽  
...  

Introduction: Reported associations between birth weight (BTW) and childhood cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors have been inconsistent. The relationship between infants’ BTW and later maternal CVD is also a more recent and active area of research. We aimed to examine the association between BTW and subsequent childhood and maternal CVD risk factors 11 years post-partum. Methods: The study used longitudinally linked data from three cross-sectional datasets in West Virginia (N=19,583). The outcome variables included blood pressure for children and lipid levels for both mothers and children. The exposure was BTW of the infants born full-term. The role of the child’s current body mass index (BMI) was assessed as a potential mediator. Results: Unadjusted analyses showed a positive association between BTW and the child’s systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and a negative association with triglycerides (TGs). When adjusted for the child’s BMI, the association became non-significant for SBP and DBP but remained significant for HDL [β= 0.14 mg/dL (95% CI: 0.11, 0.18) per1000g increase in BTW] and TGs [β= -0.007 mg/dL (-0.008, -0.005) per 1000g increase in BTW]. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and non-HDL became significant and negatively associated with BTW in the adjusted analysis [LDL (β = -0.1 mg/dL (-0.19, - 0.16) per 1000 g increase in BTW; non-HDL (b = - 0.18 mg/dL (-0.28, -0.09) per 1000 g increase in BTW]. There was a positive association between infant’s birth weight and maternal total cholesterol (TC) levels, which became non-significant in the adjusted analysis [β = 0.4 (95% CI: -0.01, 0.90) mg/dL per1000g increase in birth weight]. None of the other maternal lipids levels (LDL, HDL, and TG) were significant in the unadjusted or the adjusted analysis. Conclusion: Low BTW was associated with higher LDL, non-HDL, and TGs, and lower HDL levels in fifth grade children independent of the current weight status. As childhood CVD risk factors persist and are often amplified over time, these small effect sizes can have potential unfavorable consequences on lipid levels in later adulthood.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Mi Song ◽  
Kayoung Lee ◽  
Joohon Sung

We aimed to assess the non-genetic contribution to the associations between the change in weight and changes in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This analysis included 194 Korean monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs (116 men, 272 women; mean age, 38.5 ± 6.8 years) who were first examined for weight and CVD risk factors (blood pressure (BP), glucose, total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL)) between December 2005 and December 2008, and returned for a repeat examination after 2.7 ± 0.9 years. The within-pair correlations were 0.21 for the change in weight and 0.05-0.42 for the changes in CVD risk factors. Bivariate analyses showed significant environmental correlations shared between the change in weight and the changes in CVD risk factors (p < .05), except for glucose, while there were no significant genetic effects shared between the phenotypes. After adjusting for baseline values of weight, smoking, and alcohol consumption, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), TG, TC, and LDL significantly increased by 1.6 mmHg, 0.09 mmol/L, 0.10 mmol/L, and 0.09 mmol/L, respectively, per 1 kg increase in within-pair differences in weight change. In Korean MZ twins, similarity between twins for changes in weight and CVD risk factors were small to moderate, and non-genetic factors were responsible for the associations between the change in weight and changes in DBP, TG, TC, and LDL.


2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Willis ◽  
Michael Greene ◽  
Kimberly Braxton-lloyd

Abstract Objectives The primary objective of this 12-week, randomized, controlled trial was to assess the efficacy of a Mediterranean diet (MD) intervention in reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in a high-risk population in the southeastern United States. Methods Adults (n = 30) with a BMI of > 24.9 and at least two additional CVD risk factors were randomized into one of two groups. The control group (n = 14) received nutrition education on the recommendations of the American Heart Association (AHA). The intervention group (n = 16) received education promoting patterns of a MD as well as dietary supplements of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) and mixed nuts. The primary outcome measure was change in systolic blood pressure from baseline to 6 and 12-weeks. Secondary outcome measures include changes in diastolic blood pressure; weight; BMI; fasted total cholesterol, HDLc, LDLc, TG, total cholesterol to HDLc ratio, blood glucose, and HOMA-IR. Nutrition knowledge and MD adherence were assessed at baseline, 6 and 12-weeks. Results The AHA group had decreases in HDLc, total cholesterol to HDLc ratio, and TG at baseline to 6-weeks, while the MD group had decreases in fat mass and BMR. The total population, experienced a decrease in weight, BMI, and TG from baseline to 6-weeks. At 12-weeks, decreases in weight, BMI, and % body fat were seen in the entire population compared to baseline. The MD group experienced trends towards significance in the differences in measures from baseline to 12-weeks in systolic blood pressure, TG, and total cholesterol to HDLc ratio. Group assignment played a significant role from baseline to 6-weeks in systolic blood pressure, HDLc, and LDLc levels. Nutrition knowledge influenced blood glucose and total cholesterol levels. MD adherence impacted total cholesterol and non-HDLc levels. Percent nut consumption had a significant impact on HDLc levels, % EVOO consumption significantly influenced LDLc values, and the nut/EVOO interaction was significant in both systolic pressure and HDLc levels. Conclusions Increases in nutrition knowledge, MD adherence, and % nut and EVOO consumption were the most significant influences on measurement outcomes. Our results suggest that a MD can be implemented on a larger scale with potential positive impacts on CVD risk. Funding Sources Funding was provided by Mallon-Zallen Graduate Research Fellowship.


Author(s):  
Miriam Essien ◽  
Herman Erick Lutterodt ◽  
Reginald Adjetey Annan

Background: Cardiovascular diseases continue to be a global public health burden among occupational groups like Police officers. Police officers play important roles to ensure law and order in countries. However, the nature of police work exposes them to violence and stress. Again, irregular food habits, irregular exercise, inadequate sleep, smoking and drinking are lifestyles which makes police officers prone to high incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Aim: This study looked at the prevalence of CVD risk factors among police officers in Kumasi, Ghana. Study Design: Cross- sectional. Place and Duration of study: Ashanti Regional Police Headquarters, Kumasi, Ghana, between September, 2017 to July, 2018. Methodology: Weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI), waist circumference, lipid profile, systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 120 officers were measured. Additionally, lifestyle and dietary factors such as exercise and intake of fruits of Police officers were assessed. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 22.0. Results: Slightly more than half (63, 52.5%) of the officers were females and the remaining (57,47.5%) were males. The mean of the various CVD risk factors among the total study participants are as follows; BMI 28.184±4.461 kg/m2, waist circumference 92.702±10.941 cm, systolic blood pressure (SBP) 128.121±17.047 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 85.569±10.854 mmHg, fasting blood sugar 5.387±1.756 mmol/l, high density lipoprotein (HDL) 1.546±0.211 mmol/l, low density lipoprotein 2.321±0.706 mmol/l (LDL) and total cholesterol (TC) 4.362±0.906 mmol/L.  Prevalence of obesity among male and female officers were 43.9% and 36.5% respectively. With regards to hypertension, policemen and women recorded 31.6% and 20.6% respectively and dyslipidemia among males and females were 43.9% and 85.7% respectively. Conclusion: The officers were generally overweight, with over a quarter having hypertension and about two-thirds having dyslipidemia, making their risk for CVDs high. Further studies to elucidate the causes are required, routine medical screening and nutritional support are recommended.


2020 ◽  
Vol 46 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S287-S288
Author(s):  
Mikel Tous-Espelosin ◽  
Nagore Iriarte-Yoller ◽  
Aitor MartinezAguirre-Betolaza ◽  
Isabel Hervella ◽  
Pablo Corres ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death in people with schizophrenia (SP). The European guidelines on CVD prevention recommend that people with high levels of individual risk factors should automatically have all their risk factors actively managed. It is suggested that CVD risk in SP should be assessed by general risk charts and to include specific relative risk chart for people with severe mental illnesses. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to estimate CVD risk and vascular age in adults with SP and compared them with a healthy sample. Methods A total of 85 participants with SP (16.2% women, 42.1±10.0 yr old) were compared with 30 HEALTHY participants (60.0% women, 40.0±9.0 yr old). CVD risk was calculated using Systematic Coronary Risk Estimation (SCORE), Framingham Heart Score-Cardiovascular Disease (FRS-CVD), relative risk SCORE and vascular age. Likewise, the variables assessed to calculate the risk charts were age, body mass index, smoking percentage, systolic blood pressure (SBP) through ambulatory blood pressure monitoring during 24 hours and through a fasting biochemical profile, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and total cholesterol (TC). Results All HEALTHY variables were in normal values. Sample with SP showed overweight (body mass index=27.1±6.1 kg∙m-2) and higher (P&lt;0.001) smoking percentage than HEALTHY (69.8% vs. 16.1%). Both groups presented normotensive SBP values (SP=115±15 mmHg, HEALTHY=113±10 mmHg). Concerning cholesterol profile, SP showed lower to optimal values in HDL-C (39.0±12.0 mg/dL), yet both were in optimal TC levels (SP=189.7±44 mg/dL, HEALTHY=183.6±35.1 mg/dL). Considering SCORE, both groups were in low risk values with higher (P&lt;0.001) values in SP (0.6±1.0 vs. 0.1±0.4). However, according to relative risk SCORE and FRS-CVD, SP showed medium risk (2.0±1.0; 6.7±12.3), and HEALTHY low (1.0±0.4; 2.6±2.8) risk, respectively. Vascular age was higher (P&lt;0.001) in SP than HEALTHY (48.0±26.0 vs. 36.0±24.0 yr). Discussion Patients suffering from SP compared to HEALTHY showed higher CVD risk and vascular age. These results strongly suggest the promotion of a healthy lifestyle behavior in order to optimize risk factors.


2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 634-646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehsan Ghaedi ◽  
Mohammad Mohammadi ◽  
Hamed Mohammadi ◽  
Nahid Ramezani-Jolfaie ◽  
Janmohamad Malekzadeh ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThere is some evidence supporting the beneficial effects of a Paleolithic diet (PD) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. This diet advises consuming lean meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, and nuts and avoiding intake of grains, dairy products, processed foods, and added sugar and salt. This study was performed to assess the effects of a PD on CVD risk factors including anthropometric indexes, lipid profile, blood pressure, and inflammatory markers using data from randomized controlled trials. A comprehensive search was performed in the PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases up to August 2018. A meta-analysis was performed using a random-effects model to estimate the pooled effect size. Meta-analysis of 8 eligible studies revealed that a PD significantly reduced body weight [weighted mean difference (WMD) = −1.68 kg; 95% CI: −2.86, −0.49 kg], waist circumference (WMD = −2.72 cm; 95% CI: −4.04, −1.40 cm), BMI (in kg/m2) (WMD = −1.54; 95% CI: −2.22, −0.87), body fat percentage (WMD = −1.31%; 95% CI: −2.06%, −0.57%), systolic (WMD = −4.75 mm Hg; 95% CI: −7.54, −1.96 mm Hg) and diastolic (WMD = −3.23 mm Hg; 95% CI: −4.77, −1.69 mm Hg) blood pressure, and circulating concentrations of total cholesterol (WMD = −0.23 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.42, −0.04 mmol/L), triglycerides (WMD = −0.30 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.55, −0.06 mmol/L), LDL cholesterol (WMD = −0.13 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.26, −0.01 mmol/L), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (WMD = −0.48 mg/L; 95% CI: −0.79, −0.16 mg/L) and also significantly increased HDL cholesterol (WMD = 0.06 mmol/L; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.11 mmol/L). However, sensitivity analysis revealed that the overall effects of a PD on lipid profile, systolic blood pressure, and circulating CRP concentrations were sensitive to removing some studies and to the correlation coefficients, hence the results must be interpreted with caution. Although the present meta-analysis revealed that a PD has favorable effects on CVD risk factors, the evidence is not conclusive and more well-designed trials are still needed.


Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 137 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael R Baiduc ◽  
Brittany Bogle ◽  
Franklyn Gonzalez ◽  
Elizabeth Dinces ◽  
David J Lee ◽  
...  

Introduction: Over 30 million Americans suffer from hearing loss (HL). Studies suggest that established cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors may contribute to the pathophysiology of the inner ear. However, the aggregate effect of CVD risk factors on hearing is not well understood. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that high CVD risk burden is associated with worse hearing. Methods: We assessed younger (ages 18-34) and older (ages 55-64) Hispanic Community Health Study / Study of Latinos participants who underwent audiometry in 2008-11. After excluding those with conductive pathology and asymmetric HL, we randomly chose one ear for analysis. Puretone thresholds were obtained at 0.5-8 kHz; puretone average (PTA) was calculated using thresholds at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. Low CVD risk burden was defined as having all of: blood pressure (BP) <120/<80 mmHg; total cholesterol <180 mg/dL; not currently smoking; and not having prevalent diabetes. High CVD risk burden was defined as ≥ 2 of: diabetes; currently smoking; BP >160/>100 mmHg (or antihypertensive use); and total cholesterol >240 mg/dL (or statin use). By age group and sex, we estimated hearing thresholds per frequency with linear regression models adjusted for noise exposure. Least squares estimates were calculated using strata-specific means of covariates. Estimates were compared via t-tests. Data were weighted for all analyses and accounted for clustering. Results: Among younger and older individuals in the target population (51.9% female), 28.8% had low and 5.5% had high CVD risk. Younger men with high CVD risk had worse PTA than young men with low risk (7.7 dB HL [7.0-8.4] vs. 10.5 dB HL [8.4-12.5], p =0.02), and had significantly worse thresholds at 1,3,4,6 kHz than those with low risk ( Figure ). There was no difference in PTA or thresholds at any frequency by CVD risk burden in young women, older men, or older women. Conclusions: CVD risk burden is associated with HL among young men, but not young women or older adults. CVD risk burden may be useful for identifying young men at risk for HL.


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