title: Effect of almond-enriched high-monounsaturated fat diet on selected markers of inflammation: a randomised, controlled, crossover study.
abstract: Frequent consumption of nuts lowers the risk of CHD. While lowering blood lipids is one of the mechanisms for cardioprotection, the present study sought to determine whether monounsaturated fat-rich almonds also influence other CHD risk factors such as inflammation and haemostasis. This was a randomised, controlled, crossover feeding study with twenty-five healthy adults (eleven men; fourteen women), age 22-53 years. Following a 2 week run-in phase (34 % energy from fat), subjects were assigned in random order to three diets for 4 weeks each: a heart-healthy control diet with no nuts ( < 30 % energy from fat), low-almond diet and high-almond diet (10 % or 20 % isoenergetic replacement of control diet with almonds, respectively). Serum E-selectin was significantly lower on the high-almond diet compared with the control diet. E-selectin decreased as the percentage of energy from almonds increased (P < 0.0001). C-reactive protein (CRP) was lower in both the almond diets compared with the control diet. A clear dose response was not observed for either E-selectin or CRP. There was no effect of diet on IL-6 or fibrinogen. Tissue plasminogen activator antigen was significantly lower on the control and high-almond diets compared with the low-almond diet, although the values were within normal range. In conclusion, consumption of almonds influenced a few but not all of the markers of inflammation and haemostasis. A clear dose response was not observed for any of the markers studied.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350, USA. srajaram@llu.edu
authors.forename: Sujatha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajaram
authors.forename: Kristianne M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sabaté
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004032:Diet; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019040:E-Selectin / Q000097:blood; D002149:Energy Intake; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009754:Nuts; D027861:Prunus; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D019040:E-Selectin; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D015850:Interleukin-6; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator