The effect of almond intake on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Elham Eslampour; Omid Asbaghi; Amir Hadi; Sajjad Abedi; Ehsan Ghaedi; Anastasia-Viktoria Lazaridi; Maryam Miraghajani

doi:10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102399

The effect of almond intake on blood pressure: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Complement Ther Med. 2020 May:50:102399. doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102399. Epub 2020 Apr 9.

Authors

Elham Eslampour¹, Omid Asbaghi¹, Amir Hadi², Sajjad Abedi³, Ehsan Ghaedi⁴, Anastasia-Viktoria Lazaridi⁵, Maryam Miraghajani⁶

Affiliations

¹ Student Research Committee, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
² Halal Research Center of IRI, FDA, Tehran, Iran.
³ Department of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
⁴ Department of Cellular and Molecular Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Students' Scientific Research Center (SSRC), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: ehsanghaedi073@gmail.com.
⁵ The Early Life Research Unit, Academic Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Nottingham Digestive Disease Centre and Biomedical Research Centre, The School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
⁶ Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; The Early Life Research Unit, Academic Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Nottingham Digestive Disease Centre and Biomedical Research Centre, The School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK. Electronic address: Ms.miraghajani@yahoo.com.

PMID: 32444059
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2020.102399

Abstract

Objective: The present systematic review and meta-analysis aimed determine the efficacy of almond intake on blood pressure (BP).

Methods: PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane library and Google Scholar were comprehensively searched to infinity until December 2019. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) reporting effects of almond intake on aortic and brachial BP were included. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) were pooled using a random-effects model. Standard methods were used for assessment of heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias.

Results: A total of 16 RCTs (1128 participants) were included in the meta-analysis. Pooled analysis suggested that almond intake can reduced diastolic BP (DBP) (WMD = -1.30 mmHg; 95 % CI: -2.31,-0.30, p = 0.01, I² = 0.0 %). However, there was not any impact of almond intake on systolic BP (SBP) (WMD = -0.83 mmHg; 95 % CI: -2.55, 0.89, p = 0.34, I² = 58.9 %). Subgroup analysis revealed a significant reduction in SBP levels in subjects with lower SBP and lower dose of almonds.

Conclusion: We found that almonds might have a considerable favorite effect in BP and especially in DBP, and it could be encouraged as part of a healthy diet; however due to the high calorie content, the intake should be part of healthy diet.

Keywords: Almond; Blood pressure; Hypertension; Meta-analysis; Systematic review.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Blood Pressure*
Humans
Nuts*
Prunus dulcis*
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic