Cited by 406Phytochemicals and Antioxidant ActivitiesNutritional Studies and DietAntioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress

The Biological Relevance of Direct Antioxidant Effects of Polyphenols for Cardiovascular Health in Humans Is Not Established1–4

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Hollman, Peter C.H., Cassidy, Aedin, Comte, Blandine, Heinonen, Marina, Richelle, Myriam, Richling, Elke, Serafini, Mauro, Scalbert, Augustin +2 more·2011·The Journal of Nutrition

Abstract

Human studies provide evidence for beneficial effects of polyphenol-rich foods on cardiovascular health. The antioxidant activity of polyphenols potentially explains these effects, but is the antioxidant activity a reliable predictor for these effects? An International Life Sciences Institute Europe working group addressed this question and explored the potential of antioxidant claims for polyphenols in relation to cardiovascular health by using the so-called Process for the Assessment of Scientific Support for Claims on Foods project criteria. In this process, analytical aspects of polyphenols, their occurrence in foods, dietary intake, and bioavailability were reviewed. Human studies on polyphenols and cardiovascular health were reviewed together with methods for biomarkers of oxidative damage and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). In retrospective studies, F2-isoprostanes and oxidized LDL, the most reliable biomarkers of lipid peroxidation, and measures for TAC showed the expected differences between cardiovascular disease patients and healthy controls, but prospective studies are lacking, and a causal relationship between these biomarkers and cardiovascular health could not be established. Therefore, the physiological relevance of a potential change in these biomarkers is unclear. We found limited evidence that some types of polyphenol-rich products modify these biomarkers in humans. A direct antioxidant effect of polyphenols in vivo is questionable, however, because concentrations in blood are low compared with other antioxidants and extensive metabolism following ingestion lowers their antioxidant activity. Therefore, the biological relevance of direct antioxidant effects of polyphenols for cardiovascular health could not be established. Overall, although some polyphenol-rich foods exert beneficial effects on some biomarkers of cardiovascular health, there is no evidence that this is caused by improvements in antioxidant function biomarkers (oxidative damage or antioxidant capacity).

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  1. Toma ´s-Barbera ´n FA, Clifford MN. Dietary hydroxybenzoic acid de- rivatives: nature, occurrence and dietary burden. J Sci Food Agric. 2000;80:1024-32.
  2. Clifford MN. Chlorogenic acids and other cinnamates: nature, oc- currence, dietary burden, absorption and metabolism. J Sci Food Agric. 2000;80:1033-43.
  3. Neveu V, Vos F, du Chaffaut L, Mennen LI, Scalbert A. A new comprehensive food composition table for dietary polyphenols. 10th European Nutrition Conference, Paris; Ann. Nutr. Metabol. 2007;51 (suppl 1):122 (abstract).
  4. Morton MS, Chan PS, Cheng C, Blacklock N, Matos-Ferreira A, Abranches-Monteiro L, Correia R, Lloyd S, Griffiths K. Lignans and isoflavonoids in plasma and prostatic fluid in men: samples from Portugal, Hong Kong, and the United Kingdom. Prostate. 1997;32:122-8.

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Authors
Hollman, P. C. H., Cassidy, A., Comte, B., Heinonen, M., Richelle, M., Richling, E., Serafini, M., Scalbert, A., Sies, H., & Vidry, S.
Affiliations
  • Wageningen University & Research (NL)
  • University of East Anglia (GB)
  • University of Helsinki (FI)
  • Nestlé (Switzerland) (CH)
  • University of Kaiserslautern (DE)
  • Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca per gli Alimenti e la Nutrizione (IT)
  • Unité de Nutrition Humaine (FR)
  • Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (DE)
  • International Life Sciences Institute Europe (BE)
Corresponding author
  • Comte, Blandine
  • Vidry, Stéphane
Venue
The Journal of Nutrition
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-05
Volume
141
Issue
5
Pages
989S-1009S
ISSN
0022-3166 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2135657957
Cited by
406
References
260
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 20 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 32 · 2016: 32 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 47 · 2013: 40 · 2012: 47
FWCI
4.38
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Socio-Environmental Systems Modeling (acceptedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • Research Portal (Queen's University Belfast) (submittedVersion)
  • UEA Digital Repository (University of East Anglia) (submittedVersion)
  • INFM-OAR (INFN Catania) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research) (other-oa)
Funders
Bayer CropScience
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
Keywords
polyphenols, antioxidant activity, cardiovascular health, dietary polyphenols, oxidative damage biomarkers, lipid peroxidation, F2-isoprostanes, oxidized LDL, total antioxidant capacity, polyphenol bioavailability, polyphenol metabolism, cardiovascular disease
MeSH terms
Antioxidants, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diet, Flavonoids, Humans, Phenols, Risk Factors, Biomarkers, Oxidative Stress, Polyphenols

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