Orange juice is good for the cardiovascular system

What if your morning drink can imperceptibly affect the genes responsible for blood pressure and inflammatory processes? This is exactly the question that is being answered by the results of a new study that examined the nutrigenomic potential of citrus fruits. Until now, it was known that orange juice is good for the heart due to the flavanones it contains — hesperidin and naringenin, which are powerful antioxidants.

The scientists went further and decided to look at how these substances act at the genetic level. The study is based on the analysis of gene activity in circulating immune cells. Experts have found that regular consumption of orange juice leads to serious changes in the functioning of these cells. Changes in the activity of almost 3,800 genetic elements were recorded, including more than 1,700 protein-coding genes, as well as various non-coding RNAs.

Most of these genes showed decreased activity, which was a key discovery. The study of these changes allowed us to identify whole groups of biochemical processes that, as it turned out, reconfigure the juice. These include blood pressure control mechanisms (for example, signaling pathways associated with the renin—angiotensin-aldosterone system), fat metabolism, and, most importantly, pathways associated with inflammation.

The researchers noted that the activity of genes such as NAMPT and NLRP3 decreased. The first is associated with the regulation of blood pressure, and the second is involved in the formation of inflammatory processes. Orange juice can act as a subtle regulator that gently slows down those processes in immune cells that can lead to problems with blood vessels and the heart.

It is important to note that this study, although focused on the mechanisms, is based on data from the same group of people who have already shown clinical improvement in previous studies. In particular, scientists previously reported a decrease in blood pressure and a decrease in body fat in participants who drank 500 ml of orange juice daily for two months.

Thus, the familiar orange juice that we drink for breakfast turned out to be not just a source of vitamin C, but a powerful tool for the gene networks of immune cells.