Role of berries in vascular function: a systematic review of human intervention studies

Berries are a source of polyphenols with recognized health-promoting activities. Several studies suggest that consumption of berries may improve vascular function.

The aim of this systematic review is to provide evidence of short- and long-term benefits of berries on outcomes of vascular function.

Human intervention studies were collected from PubMed and Scopus databases.

Studies were eligible if they investigated the effects of acute or chronic berry consumption on one or more markers of vascular function in humans and provided a characterization of the berry polyphenolic content. Only randomized controlled trials were included, and studies were excluded if berries were combined with other foods.

After selection, 22 randomized controlled trials were included and analyzed, most of which were performed in healthy individuals or patients with cardiovascular risk factors.

The overall results seem to suggest a protective role of berries in vascular function, likely dependent on the time of exposure, the type and dose of berry, and the biomarkers analyzed. Flow-mediated dilation and reactive hyperemia index (markers of vascular reactivity) improved following short-term interventions, while pulse wave velocity and augmentation index (markers of arterial stiffness) improved only after medium- to long-term intervention.

Current evidence suggests that berries, at physiological relevant doses, may have a role in the modulation of vascular function and stiffness. High-quality human intervention trials are encouraged in order to strengthen these findings and to better elucidate the mechanisms involved in such modulation.