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A clinical investigation of the impact of Juice Plus+ on systemic inflammation by researchers at the University of South Carolina was recently published online (ahead of print) in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.

Acute inflammation – the red skin around a cut, for example – is a normal protective response by tissues throughout the body to injury or destruction. However, chronic systemic inflammation is invisible, and can contribute to an increased risk for developing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. The South Carolina researchers hypothesized that added nutrition from fruits and vegetables – delivered in the form of Juice Plus+ – might positively impact biomarkers of inflammation in the blood.

The researchers studied the impact of Juice Plus+ Orchard and Garden Blend, taken alone and in conjunction with Juice Plus+Vineyard Blend: a) on levels of several important free radical-fighting antioxidants in the blood (as an indication of bioavailability); b) on levels of superoxide dismutase, an antioxidant enzyme that helps rid the body of free radicals; and c) on levels of several key biomarkers of systemic inflammation.

In their recently published paper, the USC researchers reported: a) significantly increased levels of all three antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene) in both groups of test subjects; b) significantly increased levels of superoxide dismutase in both groups; and c) significantly decreased levels of three key biomarkers of inflammation in both groups.

They concluded: “Data suggest a potential health benefit by consuming either formulation of the encapsulated juice concentrates through their anti-inflammatory properties.”

Molecular Nutrition & Food Research is a primary research journal devoted to all aspects of molecular nutrition – particularly the correlation between nutrition and health. You can find the online version of the Juice Plus+ study at PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine of the National Institutes of Health http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20425759

The study was also featured in the Miami Herald. Check it out here. http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/18/1634231/supplements-better-than-nothing.html

Head Office are working on adding this study to the Research Section on Juice Plus.com. Be on the lookout for more research studies coming out over the next year.