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The effects of pumpkin seed oil supplementation on arterial hemodynamics, stiffness and cardiac autonomic function in postmenopausal women.

  • 2019-11
  • Complementary therapies in clinical practice 37
    • Alexei Wong
    • Danielle Viola
    • Douglas Bergen
    • Eileen Caulfield
    • Javad Mehrabani
    • Arturo Figueroa

Study Design

Type
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Sample size
n = 12
Population
postmenopausal women with elevated blood pressure
Methods
randomly assigned to either a PSO (n=12) or a placebo group (n=11); PSO group consumed 3 g/day of PSO
Duration
6 weeks

Background

Postmenopausal women have a higher prevalence of hypertension than age-match men. Evidence from animal studies have demonstrated the antihypertensive effects of pumpkin seed oil (PSO). We examined the effects of PSO supplementation on vascular function and heart rate variability (HRV) in postmenopausal women with elevated blood pressure (BP).

Materials and methods

Participants were randomly assigned to either a PSO (n = 12) or a placebo group (n = 11). Participants in the PSO group consumed 3 g/day of PSO. Brachial and central BP, wave reflection (augmentation index, AIx), arterial stiffness (SI) and various HRV parameters were measured before and after 6 weeks.

Results

AIx, brachial and central systolic BP significantly (P < 0.05) decreased following PSO but not after placebo. SI and HRV parameters remained unchanged after PSO or placebo.

Conclusion

PSO improved arterial hemodynamics in postmenopausal women and therefore might be effective in the prevention and treatment of hypertension in this population. CLINICAL TRIAL ID: (NCT03716960).

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