According to a new study, daily consumption of cranberries can improve cardiovascular function in healthy men.

The findings of the study were published in the journal, Food & Function. The study has included 45 healthy men who consumed whole cranberry powder equivalent to 110g of fresh cranberries per day (9 g powder) or a placebo for one month.

Those consuming cranberry had a significant improvement in flow-mediated dilation (FMD), which signals improvement of heart and blood vessel function. FMD is considered a sensitive biomarker of cardiovascular disease risk and measures how blood vessels widen when blood flow increases.

Dr Ana Rodriguez-Mateos, the Senior Lecturer in Nutrition at the Department of Nutritional Sciences at King's College London and senior author of the study, said, "The increases in polyphenols and metabolites in the bloodstream and the related improvements in flow-mediated dilation after cranberry consumption emphasise the important role cranberries may play in cardiovascular disease prevention."

He further added, "The fact that these improvements in cardiovascular health were seen with a number of cranberries that can be reasonably consumed daily makes cranberry an important fruit in the prevention of cardiovascular disease for the general public."

Low consumption of fruits and vegetables is one of the top modifiable risk factors associated with a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease worldwide. Growing evidence continues to link the polyphenols from berries with heart health benefits. Cranberries are rich in unique proanthocyanidins that have distinct properties compared to polyphenols found in other fruits.

This study explored whole cranberry freeze-dried powder, equivalent to 100g of fresh cranberries, and its impact on cardiovascular health. The results demonstrated that the consumption of cranberries as part of a healthy diet can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving blood vessel function.

An initial pilot study was completed with five healthy young men to confirm the biological activity of the whole cranberry freeze-dried powder. The pilot concluded that cranberry consumption increased FMD and confirmed dosing.

The main study was a gold standard study design examining 45 healthy men each consuming two packets of whole cranberry freeze-dried powder equivalent to 100g of fresh cranberries, or a placebo, daily for one month.

The study found significant improvements in FMD two hours after first consumption and after one month of daily consumption showing both immediate and chronic benefit. In addition, metabolites were also identified and predicted the positive effects seen in FMD. These results conclude that cranberries can play an important role in supporting cardiovascular health and good blood vessel function.

Dr Christian Heiss, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at the University of Surrey and co-author of the study said, "Our findings provide solid evidence that cranberries can significantly affect vascular health even in people with low cardiovascular risk. This study further indicates that specific metabolites present in the blood after cranberry consumption are related to the beneficial effects."According to new research, about one in three heart attack survivors showed a significant mental decline in the days and months following their cardiovascular attack.

The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology's 71st Annual Scientific Session. They suggest that increased attention to monitoring cognitive functioning after a heart attack is needed, researchers said.

"We found a very high prevalence of previously undiagnosed cognitive impairment among patients hospitalised due to myocardial infarction," said Dominika Kasprzak, MD, a cardiologist at J. Strus Hospital in Poznan, Poland, and the study's lead author. "This impairment can be both temporary and permanent, and some patients develop impairment after a delay of several months."

The study assessed the mental functioning of 220 patients hospitalised for a heart attack in Poznan, Poland. Patients underwent two cognitive assessments a few days after their heart attack, and then, repeated the tests six months later. The two tests were the Mini-Mental State Examination and the Clock Drawing Test, which assess a person's thinking, memory and ability to perform basic tasks and are commonly used to identify signs of dementia.

The tests overall showed roughly 50 per cent of patients had normal cognitive functioning at both time points, while the other half had some cognitive impairment. About 35-40 per cent of patients showed cognitive impairment in the first days after their heart attack, while 27-33 per cent showed impairment six months later.

Of the patients who had some cognitive impairment shortly after their heart attack, the impairment was temporary in about half of the cases and permanent for the other half. About 1 in 9 patients had normal cognitive functioning shortly after their heart attack but showed cognitive decline six months later.

Cognitive deficits can impact a person's quality of life and make it more challenging to keep up with treatments and lifestyle changes intended to help prevent a second heart attack. As such, Kasprzak said it is important for cardiologists to be alert for signs of mental decline.

"Cognitive deficits, such as memory loss or not being able to recognise a loved one, can be even more important for our patients than their cardiovascular disease," Kasprzak said. "We need to monitor our patients regularly to detect changes in their functioning, not only in the heart but also in the brain."

None of the study participants had a history of dementia or cognitive disorders before their heart attack. While the researchers did not attempt to identify the causes of the mental declines they observed, Kasprzak suggested that different drivers may be at work in the case of temporary effects versus permanent ones.

For example, psychological stress and sleep disturbances around the time of a heart attack may contribute to temporary deficits, while permanent effects could indicate neurodegeneration or damage to the brain. For patients who experience delayed declines in the months after a heart attack, factors such as sleep disturbances, depression and anxiety could play a role.

Given that study participants were relatively young, 60 years old on average, Kasprzak said it is unlikely that normal age-related declines alone could explain the patients' high rate of cognitive impairment. However, age may amplify the effects. Patients who were older and those with blood markers indicative of more severe cardiovascular disease were more likely to show permanent cognitive impairment.

The researchers are currently analysing data from a larger follow-on study to further investigate cognitive trends following a heart attack and the drivers that contribute to these effects. The team also plans to develop a more efficient assessment tool that cardiologists could use to screen for cognitive deficits during routine follow-up visits.