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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2023 Mar 22:12:e39.
doi: 10.1017/jns.2022.117. eCollection 2023.

Effects of acute strawberry consumption on serum levels of vitamin C and folic acid, the antioxidant potential of LDL and blood glucose response: a randomised cross-over controlled trial

Yoshimi Kishimoto  1 , Chie Taguchi  2 , Tomomi Iwashima  3 , Toshihiro Kobayashi  4 , Yutaka Kikoku  4 , Hiroshi Nishiyama  5 , Yasunobu Masuda  5 , Kazuo Kondo  3
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Effects of acute strawberry consumption on serum levels of vitamin C and folic acid, the antioxidant potential of LDL and blood glucose response: a randomised cross-over controlled trial

Yoshimi Kishimoto et al. J Nutr Sci. .

Abstract

Strawberry contains many bioactive compounds such as vitamin C and polyphenols as well as folate, a vitamin that is especially important for women of childbearing age. We investigated the effects of the acute consumption of strawberry on the serum levels of vitamin C and folate, and on the antioxidant potential of low-density lipoprotein (LDL). In a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover study, twenty-three healthy female volunteers (age 22⋅5 ± 1⋅4 years) ingested 500 g of a strawberry purée beverage or a sugar content-matched placebo beverage. Blood samples were collected at fasting and at 0⋅5, 1, 2 and 4 h post-ingestion. The serum concentrations of vitamin C and folate were significantly elevated from 0⋅5 to 4 h after the strawberry beverage ingestion (P < 0⋅001); the levels peaked at 2 h, with peak levels of 15⋅0 ± 2⋅5 μg/ml for vitamin C and 14⋅4 ± 7⋅0 ng/ml for folate. Notably, at 1 h after the strawberry beverage ingestion, the LDL oxidation lag time was significantly prolonged (P < 0⋅05), suggesting that the antioxidant potential of LDL was increased. After the ingestion of either beverage, the serum levels of glucose and insulin reached a peak at 0⋅5 h and then quickly returned to baseline levels. These results suggest that strawberries are a useful source of vitamin C and folate and may help enhance the antioxidant potential of LDL in healthy young women.

Keywords: Blood glucose level; Folate; LDL oxidation; Strawberry; Vitamin C.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
A CONSORT diagram outlining the flowchart of the study. The study was conducted with twenty-three healthy women in a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover design.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Postprandial changes in serum vitamin C (a) and folate level (b) after the ingestion of the placebo (circles) or strawberry (squares) beverage. The data are mean ± sd (n 23). +P < 0⋅05, ++P < 0⋅01, +++P < 0⋅001 v. placebo, ###P < 0⋅001 v. 0 h by pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni corrections.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.
Postprandial changes in the LDL lag time after the ingestion of placebo (circles) or strawberry (squares) beverage. The data are mean ± sd (n 21). #P < 0⋅05 v. 0 h by Dunnett's multiple comparison test after 1-way ANOVA.
Fig. 4.
Fig. 4.
Postprandial changes in blood glucose (a) and the serum insulin level (b) after the ingestion of placebo (circles) or strawberry (squares) beverage. The data are mean ± sd (n 23). ###P < 0⋅001 v. 0 h by pairwise comparisons with Bonferroni corrections.
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