Consumption of dietary anthocyanins and their association with a reduction in obesity biomarkers and the prevention of obesity

• Published in: Trends in food science & technology 2023-10, Vol.140, p.104140, Article 104140
• Main Authors: Escalante-Aburto, Anayansi, Mendoza-Córdova, Mayra Yesenia, Mahady, Gail B., Luna-Vital, Diego A., Gutiérrez-Uribe, Janet A., Chuck-Hernández, Cristina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthocyanins; Glycosylated anthocyanins; Inflammation; Obesity; Transcriptional factors; Weight gain
• ISSN: 0924-2244; 1879-3053
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2023.104140

The emergency for treating obesity has increased, triggering severe economic issues worldwide. The consumption of anthocyanins from different dietetic sources or by pharmaceutical prescription has shown strong associations with ameliorating specific physiological biomarkers and genetic factors related to obesity. This review focuses on examining and contrasting the findings from the past five years regarding the precise effects of anthocyanin compounds on metabolic health. These effects were evaluated primarily in in vivo models, assessed before and after consumption of various anthocyanin compounds from fresh foods, food extracts, and supplemental products. Descriptions of a few elements connected to, among others, adipose tissue, vascular endothelium, systemic pro-inflammatory state, and obesity biomarkers are reviewed. Clinical trials in subjects with overweight and obesity and essays in murine obesity-induced models have reported promising findings concerning anthocyanins consumption, specifically cyanidin-3-O-glucoside ingestion. The main effects in physiological biomarkers and indicators of anthocyanins consumption are a significant reduction of body weight and fat mass (brown adipocytes), triglycerides, cholesterol (LDL and VLDL), insulin resistance (HOMA) and a decrease of inflammation biomarkers such as IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α, promoting the AMPK and MAPK pathways and regulating genes related to adipogenesis (PPAR-γ, GPx1, ACAT3, COX2, UCP1, and IL1β). There is a lack of studies on human subjects with obesity to corroborate the beneficial effects of anthocyanins (by diet or prescribed). It is necessary to discuss the food policies and nutritional advice regulations for incentivizing anthocyanin ingestion as a therapeutic effect against obesity. •Anthocyanins supplementation could be an effective treatment to treat obesity.•Anthocyanins have effects on glucose and lipids metabolism via AMPK/MAPK.•Different experimental models have shown improvements in obesity biomarkers.•Clinical trials in humans are needed to elucidate the interference mechanisms.•Consumption of foods with anthocyanins should be recommended in health policies.