06/17/2026
Flavones, flavanones, and polyphenols reduce blood pressure and improve blood vessel health.
Flexible, supple blood vessels that relax and dilate to adjust for increases in blood flow are healthy. One of the first signs of circulatory disease is when these vessels stiffen and restrict blood flow.
In this study, 96 men and women, average age 49, took a placebo or a total of 1,000 mg of citrus flavones, flavanones, and olive leaf polyphenols per day. After eight weeks, vessel flexibility increased 3 percent compared to 0.5 percent for placebo. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure also decreased.
Total and LDL cholesterol decreased for the flavone/polyphenol group while increasing for placebo, and HDL—the good cholesterol—increased while decreasing for placebo. Signs of oxidative stress and inflammation also decreased in the antioxidant group while not improving for placebo.
Reference: Nutrients; 2020, Vol. 12, No. 5, PMC7284884