Tahini, Antioxidant Status and Endothelial Function
Condition: Oxidative Stress; Endothelial Function; Blood Pressure; Arterial Stiffness; Blood Glucose
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Cardiovascular disease (CVD), a cluster of disorders that affect heart and blood vessels, is
      the leading cause of morbidity and mortality around the world and is responsible for 17.9
      million deaths annually worldwide. CVD risk factors can be modifiable (nutrition, physical
      activity, obesity, smoking, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes) and non-modifiable
      (age, gender, ethnicity, family history and socioeconomic status). Chronic exposure to CVD
      risk factors induces oxidative stress and promotes inflammation. In addition, endothelial
      cells in response to the inflammatory reaction secrete growth factors, leading to the
      destruction of vascular endothelium and promoting atherogenesis.

      Oxidative stress refers to the imbalance between anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant compounds, with
      predominance of the pro-oxidant ones. Reactive Oxygen Species overproduction has been
      implicated in pathogenesis and complications of numerous diseases including diabetes,
      cardiovascular diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and chronic kidney disease.

      Moreover, endothelium consists of a single layer of endothelial cells; it is the natural
      barrier between blood and tissues and also an endocrine organ. It plays a key role in
      vascular homeostasis by maintaining a balance between vasodilation and vasoconstriction and
      is responsible for fluid filtration, blood vessel tone, hormone trafficking, hemostasis,
      regulation of blood flow and growth of blood vessels. Thus, reductions in endothelial
      function are detrimental and predict and precede the development of overt CVD.

      Sesame belongs to Pedaliaceae family and can be consumed in different forms such as seeds,
      oil or tahini, i.e., a 100 % peeled, ground and roasted sesame paste. Sesame seeds are rich
      in polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins, vitamin E and lignans, such as sesamin, sesamolin
      and sesamol. Recent studies have highlighted the antioxidant, antihypertensive, hypolipidemic
      and appetite control properties of sesame seeds and sesame oil.

      Regarding the consumption of tahini and its effect on human health, only three studies are
      available in the current literature, one of them in patients with type 2 diabetes, one in
      diabetic animal model and one in Alzheimer's disease animal model. Thus, the aim of the
      present study is to investigate the effect of tahini consumption on oxidative stress, blood
      pressure, endothelial function and arterial stiffness in healthy males postprandially.
    

Detailed description: 
      Cardiovascular disease (CVD), a cluster of disorders that affect heart and blood vessels, is
      the leading cause of morbidity and mortality around the world and is responsible for 17.9
      million deaths annually worldwide. CVD includes coronary heart disease, peripheral arterial
      disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, deep
      vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. CVD risk factors can be modifiable (nutrition,
      physical activity, obesity, smoking, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes) and
      non-modifiable (age, gender, ethnicity, family history and socioeconomic status). Chronic
      exposure to CVD risk factors induces oxidative stress and promotes inflammation. In addition,
      endothelial cells in response to the inflammatory reaction secrete growth factors, leading to
      the destruction of vascular endothelium and promoting atherogenesis.

      Oxidative stress refers to the imbalance between anti-oxidant and pro-oxidant compounds, with
      predominance of the pro-oxidant ones. These compounds are also called Reactive Oxygen Species
      (ROS) or free radicals and are unstable atoms or molecules. Their generation, as products of
      normal cellular metabolism, occurs naturally by endogenous sources (e.g. mitochondria,
      peroxisomes and endoplasmic reticulum) through enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions.
      Furthermore, exogenous sources implicated in free radical production are air pollution,
      alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, ultraviolet light exposure, industrial solvents and
      others. Free radical production is regulated by the well-organized human endogenous enzymatic
      and non-enzymatic antioxidant system, along with the exogenous antioxidants found in food.
      However, in some cases antioxidant system fails to eliminate ROS overproduction and can
      consequently induce serious damage to important for life biomolecules (DNA, lipids,
      proteins), leading to cell injury and death. Thus, ROS overproduction has been implicated in
      pathogenesis and complications of numerous diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular
      diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and chronic kidney disease.

      Moreover, endothelium consists of a single layer of endothelial cells; it is the natural
      barrier between blood and tissues and also an endocrine organ. It plays a key role in
      vascular homeostasis by maintaining a balance between vasodilation and vasoconstriction.
      Moreover, vascular endothelium is responsible for fluid filtration, blood vessel tone,
      hormone trafficking, hemostasis, regulation of blood flow and growth of blood vessels. Thus,
      reductions in endothelial function are detrimental and predict and precede the development of
      overt CVD.

      Sesame belongs to Pedaliaceae family and can be consumed in different forms such as seeds,
      oil or tahini, i.e., a 100 % peeled, ground and roasted sesame paste. Sesame seeds are rich
      in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), proteins, vitamin E and lignans, such as sesamin,
      sesamolin and sesamol. Recent studies have highlighted the antioxidant, antihypertensive,
      hypolipidemic and appetite control properties of sesame seeds and sesame oil. Moreover, few
      studies have investigated the effect of sesame consumption on blood pressure, endothelial
      function and arterial stiffness in human population. According to a metanalysis, sesame
      consumed in form of seed, oil, capsule or bar decreased both systolic blood pressure (SBP)
      and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), while sesame oil consumption was found to improve
      endothelial function both in the postprandial state and after long term consumption in
      hypertensive men.

      Regarding the consumption of tahini and its effect on human health, only three studies are
      available in the current literature, one of them in patients with type 2 diabetes, one in
      diabetic animal model and one in Alzheimer's disease animal model. Thus, the aim of the
      present study is to investigate the effect of tahini consumption on oxidative stress, blood
      pressure, endothelial function and arterial stiffness in healthy males postprandially.
    

Intervention name(s): Tahini
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Fifty grams of tahini were consumed by 20 healthy males
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: tahini; sesame; antioxidants; postprandial