ergo-log.com

Definition: "An ergogenic aid is any substance or phenomenon that enhances performance "

19.05.2023

Acetylcholine in eggplant lowers blood pressure

Aubergines are even better for the cardiovascular system than we already suspected based on animal studies. A modest amount of the deep purple vegetable - which is actually a fruit, yes, we know - contains enough acetylcholine to help lower blood pressure.

Eggplant
Quite a few foodies don't find eggplants that interesting. It is low in vitamins and minerals, they say. They are absolutely right about that. On the other hand, eggplant skin is a good source of anthocyanins, especially delphinidin-3-rutinoside. [Z Naturforsch C J Biosci. 2006 Jul-Aug;61(7-8):527-35.]

Eggplant also contains acetylcholine [structural formula below]. Potatoes and tomatoes, which belong to the same nightshade family as eggplant, do not contain acetylcholine.

There are approximately 2-6 milligrams in 100 grams of eggplant. You will find the substance in the whole fruit in approximately equal concentrations. If you grill or heat eggplants in the microwave, this concentration increases. [Foods. 2021 Jan 4;10(1):81.]

In animal studies, oral administration of small amounts of eggplant extract containing acetylcholine lowers blood pressure in hypertensive rats. [Food Chem. 2019 Mar 15;276:376-82.] Eggplant supplementation lowers the concentration of stress hormone in the blood.

In addition, acetylcholine interacts with the acetylcholine receptor M3 in the blood vessels. As a result, the vessel walls produce more nitric oxide, making them more flexible. This in turn causes blood pressure to drop.

Study
In 2019, researchers from Shinshu University and Hokkaido Information University published a human study in Nutrients, in which they experimented with test subjects who had high levels of psychological stress and, as a result, elevated blood pressure.

For 12 weeks, the researchers gave some of their subjects a placebo every day, while others received a daily supplement containing 1200 milligrams of dried eggplant powder. It contained 2.3 milligrams of acetylcholine. The powder also contained GABA and chlorogenic acid. According to the researchers, the amounts of GABA and chlorogenic acid were not enough to reduce blood pressure.

Results
Systolic [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure [DBP] decreased during the supplementation period. At the end of the period, the decrease was statistically significant. It could just be that the drop in blood pressure would have been greater if the supplementation had been continued longer.

The figures below relate to a subgroup of subjects with mildly elevated grade 1 blood pressure. The subjects had their blood pressure measured in a hospital. These measurements often result in a slightly higher blood pressure.

Eggplant powder supplementation also made the subjects feel a little better overall. They were less hostile and angry, less depressed and less confused.

Quantities
The researchers made their own powder from aubergines they bought in the region. The daily dose of 1200 milligrams corresponds to 22 grams of fresh eggplant, they write.

Based on the amount of acetylcholine in the powder, we suspect that the Japanese used a cultivar with a relatively high amount of acetylcholine. If you want to experiment with fresh aubergines, you might want to go for a daily dose of 100 grams. Then you are reasonably sure that you are getting enough acetylcholine.

Source:
Nutrients. 2019 Nov 16;11(11):2797.

More:
Eggplant protects the heart during myocardial infarction 13.03.2021

Archives:
Choline & Choline Analogues
Cardiovascular Health

Exercise reduces blood pressure as much as medication Especially the combination of endurance training and strength training can significantly lower blood pressure.	Celery seed extract lowers blood pressure (and does much more) Celery seed extract can significantly lower blood pressure, plus improve cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity.	Blood pressure drops several points during supplementation with Pycnogenol Chinese meta-study.