(P30-022-23) Daily Cranberry Juice Consumption Modulate Immune Cell Profiles in Adults Susceptible to the Cold and Flu: A Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Study

Objectives: This study investigated the impact of daily cranberry juice consumption on the severity of the cold and flu in adults. It was hypothesized that 8 oz/d of a cranberry juice would decrease the incidence and duration of cold and flu symptoms.

Methods: This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study included n=43, n=24 male and n=19 female, BMI 18-40 kg/m² , 18-65 y, who self-reported 2-3 episodes of cold/flu/year. Participants consumed either 8 oz of 100% cranberry juice or a cranberry-like placebo beverage for 10 weeks. Participants self-reported cold/flu status through the Influenza Patient-Reported Outcome (Flu-PRO) diary. For weeks 0, 5, 10, cytokine levels and differential blood cell counts were determined. At the time of this abstract, study beverages (A and B) remained blinded until additional endpoints will have been analyzed.

Results: Overall, only 3 non-covid-19 positive participants with cold/flu symptoms were captured, as covid-positive participants were excluded from this study. Flu-PRO outcomes were not significantly different between study treatments. Overall changes in white blood cell count were significantly different between beverages A and B but only in males (p = 0.0424). Neutrophils increased in males vs females for beverage B (p=0.0250). Lymphocyte cell count decreased in males vs females for beverage B (p=0.0392). TNF-alpha were significantly different between male and females for beverage A (p=0.0478); where values in males increased from 12 to 17 pg/ml and decreased from 27 to 23 pg/ml between weeks 0 and 10, while other cytokine changes were not significant.

Conclusions: Due to the interference of covid-19 in the ability to capture sick-visits of participants with cold and flu symptoms, only few symptomatic individuals were assessed. This significantly limited the assessment of cranberry juice on cold and flu symptoms. However, consumption of 8 oz of a cranberry juice compared to a placebo beverage differentially affects immune cells counts in male participants compared to females suggesting that gender may play a role in regulating these cells in the presence of cranberry metabolites. There was a significant change in male TNF-alpha levels for beverage A but no significant changes were observed for any other cytokines.

Funding Sources: Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc, Middleborough, MA