Citrus Fruit May Prevent Harmful Effects of Obesity

Consuming oranges, lemons, and limes that contain a class of antioxidants called flavanones may help reduce oxidative stress and help fight the harmful health effects of obesity, according to a new study from Brazil.

The study’s findings were presented on August 21, 2016, at the 252nd American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition.
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Obesity raises the risk of developing heart disease, liver disease, diabetes, and more. It is thought that the process called oxidative stress may lead to these conditions in obese individuals.

Therefore, the researchers conducted their study to investigate whether citrus flavanones can lower oxidative stress in a mouse model.

The researchers treated 50 mice with the flavanones hesperidin, eriocitrin, and eriodictyol—found in oranges, lemons, and limes.

The mice were then separated into 5 groups, each receiving a different diet: a standard diet, a high-fat diet, a high-fat diet plus hesperidin, a high-fat diet plus eriocitrin, or a high-fat diet plus eriodictyol.

After 30 days, the researchers found that a high-fat diet without supplemental flavanones increased levels of cell-damage markers in the mice’s blood by 80% and liver by 57% compared with a standard diet.

However, cell-damage markers in the liver decreased with hesperidin supplementation by 50%, eriocitrin by 57%, and eridictyol by 64% compared with an unsupplemented high-fat diet.

In addition, eriocitrin and eriodictyol reduced fat accumulation and damage in the blood and liver.

“Our results indicate that in the future we can use citrus flavanones, a class of antioxidants, to prevent or delay chronic diseases caused by obesity in humans,” the researchers concluded.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

Citrus fruits could help prevent obesity-related heart disease, liver disease, diabetes [news release]. Philadelphia, PA: American Chemical Society (ACS); August 21, 2016. http://www.newswise.com/articles/citrus-fruits-could-help-prevent-obesity-related-heart-disease-liver-disease-diabetes. Accessed August 22, 2016.