Nutraceuticals and prevention of atherosclerosis: focus on omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and Mediterranean diet polyphenols.
Nutraceuticals are potentially healthful foods that play a role in maintaining human well being, enhancing health and preventing, or even treating, specific diseases. More than for any other diseases, cardiovascular diseases occur in association with risk factors that are amenable to prevention or treatment by nutraceutical interventions. Several ingredients marketed for use in dietary supplements address such risk factors. The ability of nutraceuticals to favorably influence cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerotic vascular disease should be recognized as an enormous opportunity for the prevention or treatment of this common condition. In this review, we attempt at summarizing some of the recent research findings on omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant polyphenols that have beneficial cardiovascular effects to update the practicing clinicians on the potential benefits of nutraceuticals in this area.
Massaro
Marika
M
CNR Institute of Clinical Physiology, Pisa, Lecce, Italy.
Scoditti
Egeria
E
Carluccio
Maria Annunziata
MA
De Caterina
Raffaele
R
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055951:Functional Food; D006801:Humans; D010636:Phenols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D059808:Polyphenols; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D059808:Polyphenols