Abstract
Apple polyphenols consisting of procyanidins as major components are extracted from apples (Rosaceae, Malus sp.). A double-blind within-subject crossover study was performed to assess the effects of apple polyphenol drink intake on postprandial serum triglyceride (TG) levels. Subjects were eleven adults with healthy volunteers (male/female =8/3, 35.6 ± 12.3 years of age, TG 30 - 149 mg/dl). Subjects had test drinks with 600 mg apple polyphenols or without apple polyphenols (placebo) with fat-rich meal (fat 40 g). Blood samples were taken before and 2, 3, 4, 6 hours after the food ingestion and serum TG levels were measured. Intake of apple polyphenol drink group significantly suppressed the level of TG observed at two hours after food ingestion as compared with that of the placebo (P<0.05) on nine analysis subjects in the normal range of the TG levels just before intake. These results suggested that intake of the apple polyphenols-supplemented drink suppresses postprandial serum TG levels in healthy subjects.
