Four Weeks of Tomato-Soy Juice Lowered Inflammation in Adults with Obesity
Key Takeaways:
- In a four-week study, a tomato-soy juice rich in lycopene and soy isoflavones significantly reduced three blood markers of systemic inflammation in healthy adults with obesity, while a control tomato juice lacking those compounds did not.
- The researchers chose a low-carotenoid tomato juice as the comparison drink, rather than water, so they could isolate the effects of the lycopene and isoflavones rather than the effects of tomato juice in general.
- Building on these results and supporting animal data, the team has secured federal funding for a pilot clinical trial examining whether the same juice can ease inflammation in people living with pancreatitis.
A food-based approach to inflammation
Drinking a tomato-soy juice packed with plant compounds previously shown in animal studies to support health lowered pro-inflammatory proteins in healthy adults with obesity after four weeks, according to a new study. The researchers say the findings point to the juice’s potential as a functional food that could help rein in the persistent, unchecked inflammation that underpins a wide range of chronic conditions.
The juice was formulated to deliver high levels of two plant-based compounds, lycopene and soy isoflavones, both of which earlier research suggests have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Measured against a control tomato juice that lacked these compounds, the tomato-soy juice produced a significant drop in the blood levels of three proteins that serve as markers of systemic inflammation.
“The idea is, can we use food-based interventions to modulate inflammation?” said lead author Jessica Cooperstone, associate professor of horticulture and crop science at The Ohio State University. “And can we test this in a rigorous way so that we can really see this is affecting inflammation, versus just saying something is anti-inflammatory?”
The study was published recently in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
What is in the juice
Lycopene is a carotenoid, the class of pigments responsible for the colours of tomatoes and various other vegetables. Soy isoflavones are flavonoids that mimic the action of the hormone oestrogen. Both are phytochemicals, naturally occurring compounds that help plants thrive.
Years ago, drawing on studies that linked diets rich in either tomato products or soy with a reduced risk of prostate cancer, Ohio State researchers developed the tomato-soy juice. It was made using tomatoes bred to contain a high concentration of lycopene – varieties also developed and grown at Ohio State – and then enriched with a soy isoflavone extract.
Subsequent research at the university connected a higher intake of the tomato-soy juice with reduced prostate-specific antigen levels in some men with prostate cancer. Studies conducted elsewhere have likewise suggested that tomatoes and soy, whether eaten separately or together, can influence inflammatory and metabolic pathways tied to obesity and other chronic illnesses.
“There’s been enough compelling evidence that compounds from tomatoes and soy might be modulating inflammation that we decided to test this in people,” Cooperstone said.
How the study was carried out
For the new study, 12 healthy adults with obesity drank two 6-ounce cans of the tomato-soy juice every day for four weeks. Following a washout period, the same participants then consumed the low-carotenoid control tomato juice for a further four weeks.
The choice of comparison drink was deliberate. Rather than pitting the juice against plain water, the team selected a tomato juice stripped of the key compounds so that any difference could be attributed to those compounds specifically.
“The hypothesis is that it’s the lycopene from the tomatoes and the isoflavones from the soy that’s inducing the effect, so we didn’t want to have a control that’s just water,” Cooperstone said.
What the blood tests showed
Before and after each four-week period, the researchers collected blood samples and tested them for cytokines, the pro-inflammatory proteins produced by the immune system. Only the tomato-soy juice produced significant reductions, and it did so in three cytokines: interleukin (IL)-5, IL-12p70 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). The juice was also associated with a downward trend in tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-a), although that particular change did not reach statistical significance.
Clues from the urine analysis
The team also examined participants’ urine before and after each trial period, looking for changes in metabolites. Metabolites are the molecular products of the biochemical reactions that break down nutrients to generate energy and carry out other essential functions in the body.
The analysis revealed that both the tomato-soy juice and the control tomato juice prompted some of the same shifts in metabolite profiles, indicating that certain tomato-driven effects occurred even in the absence of lycopene. Among the changes specifically induced by the tomato-soy juice, shifts in soy isoflavone metabolites stood out. The researchers note that, while more investigation is warranted, these changes offer further evidence that the food-based intervention is acting on human biology.
“This is probably a function of the fact that there’s more to our intervention agents than just these two compounds,” Cooperstone said. “Ultimately, we want to have a better understanding of how the foods that we eat are relating to our health. And when we really want to be sure, we need to test them in clinical trials. And that’s what we’re doing here.”
Next steps: a pancreatitis trial
On the strength of these results and additional data, Cooperstone and her colleagues have received funding from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for a pilot clinical trial. That trial will test whether consuming the same tomato-soy juice reduces inflammation in people living with pancreatitis.
The team has also gathered evidence from an animal model suggesting that the tomato-soy juice can lessen both inflammation and the severity of chronic pancreatitis. Those findings support the central prediction behind the new clinical trial, namely that the intervention could improve outcomes for people with the condition.
“Care for patients with pancreatitis is palliative, focused on controlling pain and GI symptoms. Our hypothesis is that the tomato-soy juice may serve as an intervention to decrease inflammation and hopefully increase patients’ quality of life,” Cooperstone said.
Funding and contributors
The work was supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Institutes of Health, the Lisa and Dan Wampler Endowed Fellowship for Foods and Health Research, and the Foods for Health Initiative at Ohio State.
Co-authors include first author Maria Sholola, along with Jenna Miller, Emma Bilbrey, David Francis and Thomas Mace, all of Ohio State, and Janet Navotny of the USDA. Mace is the lead principal investigator on the pancreatitis trial. Cooperstone, Philip Hart and Kristen Roberts of Ohio State are also principal investigators on that trial.
Source: Eureka Alert!
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Scientists Discover Key Protein Triggering Inflammation Linked to Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes
Key Takeaways:
- Researchers have identified FAM20C as a protein that triggers inflammation and insulin resistance in fat cells, a process linked to type 2 diabetes.
- Blocking or removing the FAM20C gene in mice improved insulin sensitivity and reduced inflammation, even without weight loss.
- High levels of FAM20C in human fat tissue are associated with insulin resistance, suggesting a potential new therapeutic target.
Early trigger identified in obesity-related inflammation
Investigators at Weill Cornell Medicine have uncovered an early step in the chain of events that links obesity to inflammation and insulin resistance – key contributors to the development of type 2 diabetes.
Their findings, published on 28 October in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, identify a protein known as FAM20C as a critical “switch” that initiates inflammation within fat cells. The study, conducted in mice, shows that when this protein is removed or blocked, metabolic health improves markedly, even without weight loss.
“By inhibiting or getting rid of FAM20C in fat cells, the mice became healthier even at the same body weight,” said senior author Dr James Lo, the Rohr Family Clinical Scholar and an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology at Weill Cornell Medicine. “Their fat becomes metabolically healthier, reducing harmful inflammation in fat cells that can lead to chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and heart disease.”
FAM20C: A molecular switch for inflammation
The research team, led by first author Dr Ankit Gilani, a Research Associate in Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, discovered FAM20C while screening genes that were switched on in the fat cells of mice with obesity and inflammation. FAM20C belongs to a class of enzymes known as kinases, which work by adding phosphate groups to other proteins – a process that can alter their activity and influence gene expression.
When the researchers increased the production of FAM20C in fat cells, the cells began releasing inflammatory molecules and became resistant to insulin. In contrast, blocking or deleting the gene in mice with obesity had the opposite effect – it reduced inflammation, improved insulin sensitivity, and decreased the accumulation of visceral fat (fat surrounding internal organs), even when total body weight remained unchanged.
“During obesity, when this gene is switched on in the adipose tissue, it causes inflammation,” Dr Gilani explained. “It drives the expression of other inflammatory genes, and then it causes insulin resistance, which can lead to type 2 diabetes.”
Evidence from human fat tissue
To determine whether the same mechanism operates in humans, the researchers analysed visceral fat tissue samples from individuals living with obesity. They found that higher levels of FAM20C were associated with insulin resistance – a key driver of type 2 diabetes – while people with lower FAM20C levels tended to exhibit better metabolic health despite having overweight or obesity.
These findings suggest that the FAM20C pathway could play a pivotal role in determining whether fat tissue becomes inflamed and metabolically harmful or remains relatively benign.
Next Steps: Targeting FAM20C and its downstream pathways
The research team now plans to investigate how FAM20C influences other tissues involved in metabolism and metabolic disease. They are particularly interested in a protein called CNPY4, which is activated by FAM20C and appears to be central to the inflammatory process.
“CNPY4 is going to be a major focus of future research to see how strongly it affects insulin resistance, and whether it could be a target for therapies to treat or prevent insulin resistance,” said Dr Lo, who is also a member of the Weill Center for Metabolic Health and the Cardiovascular Research Institute at Weill Cornell Medicine, and a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Ultimately, the team hopes to develop small-molecule drugs that can block FAM20C or CNPY4 activity. Such therapies could reduce inflammation, lower visceral fat levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and help prevent or treat type 2 diabetes. Dr Lo noted that these treatments might one day be used alongside weight loss medications, or to support people who continue to experience metabolic inflammation and cardiovascular risk even after losing weight.
Funding and support
This research was supported in part by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), through grants R01DK121140 and R01DK121844.
CCH insights
For a long time now we have known that inflammation in visceral adipose tissue is a major factor in insulin resistance, but it is still unknown why some people with obesity experience this adipose tissue inflammation and subsequent metabolic dysfunction, while other people with obesity do not. This research suggests that the FAM20C protein may contribute to this switch from healthy adipose tissue to inflamed, dysfunctional adipose tissue, and could offer an exciting new therapeutic pathway for type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic conditions.
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Strawberries May Support Glucose Control and Reduce Inflammation in Prediabetes, Study Finds
Key Takeaways:
- Daily intake of freeze-dried strawberries for 12 weeks improved fasting glucose and reduced inflammation in adults with prediabetes.
- Antioxidant biomarkers including superoxide dismutase, glutathione, and β-carotene significantly increased during strawberry supplementation.
- Findings suggest strawberries could serve as a practical, food-based intervention to prevent progression to type 2 diabetes.
Strawberries and prediabetes: A promising link
A new randomised controlled trial published in Antioxidants has found that consuming freeze-dried strawberries (FDS) daily may help reduce fasting blood glucose and vascular inflammation in adults with prediabetes. The research also showed marked improvements in antioxidant status, highlighting the potential of strawberries as a simple dietary intervention for metabolic health.
The authors concluded that “strawberries may represent a practical dietary intervention that improves fasting glucose and strengthens antioxidant defence in adults with prediabetes.”
Understanding prediabetes and oxidative stress
Prediabetes represents a critical stage between normal glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is characterised by mildly elevated blood glucose levels, which contribute to oxidative stress and low-grade inflammation.
High glucose levels increase reactive oxygen species (ROS), impairing insulin function and damaging pancreatic β-cells. Proinflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) further aggravate insulin resistance by interfering with glucose uptake and triggering inflammatory pathways. Over time, these effects contribute to vascular dysfunction and atherosclerosis through increased endothelial adhesion molecules and reduced antioxidant enzyme activity.
Dietary antioxidants – including vitamins, polyphenols, and carotenoids – can neutralise oxidative stress. However, studies using supplements have produced inconsistent results due to differences in absorption and bioavailability. Evidence from clinical trials and meta-analyses indicates that plant-based antioxidants can improve total antioxidant capacity and glycaemic outcomes in people with prediabetes or T2DM.
Berries, particularly strawberries, are rich in polyphenols such as anthocyanins and ellagic acid, which are known to enhance antioxidant enzyme activity and improve insulin sensitivity. Previous studies using FDS have already shown benefits for inflammation and oxidative stress in metabolic disorders, providing a foundation for this new research.
Study design and methodology
Researchers at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, conducted a 28-week randomised controlled crossover trial involving 25 adults who met the American Diabetes Association’s diagnostic criteria for prediabetes.
Each participant completed two 12-week phases: one with daily FDS intake and another control period without strawberries, separated by a four-week washout. Participants were randomly assigned to begin with either the FDS or control phase.
During the intervention, participants consumed 32 grams of FDS powder per day – equivalent to roughly 2.5 servings of fresh strawberries – containing dietary fibre, polyphenols, flavonols, and anthocyanins. They were instructed to maintain their usual diet and physical activity throughout the trial.
Compliance was carefully monitored using dietary logs, returned powder packets, and plasma ellagic acid levels. Blood samples were collected at baseline, 12, 16, and 28 weeks to measure fasting glucose, antioxidant enzyme activity, total antioxidant capacity, and vascular adhesion molecules using standardised assays. Carotenoid levels were analysed via high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
A mixed-model analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate treatment effects while accounting for treatment period, randomisation order, age, sex, fasting glucose, and baseline values. Power analysis confirmed the study was adequately powered to detect meaningful changes in metabolic and antioxidant markers.
Improvements in antioxidant and metabolic markers
Results showed high adherence rates, with more than 85% compliance confirmed by elevated plasma ellagic acid during the FDS phase.
Compared with the control period, strawberry supplementation produced significant improvements in several antioxidant biomarkers, including superoxide dismutase, glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (AC), and β-carotene. No significant changes were observed in catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, or α-carotene.
Fasting blood glucose levels also decreased significantly during the FDS period, indicating better glycaemic control. Moreover, markers of vascular inflammation – particularly intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) – were notably reduced. Levels of P-selectin and E-selectin remained unchanged.
Correlation analyses revealed modest inverse relationships between ICAM and GSH, AC, and β-carotene, and between VCAM and AC, suggesting that stronger antioxidant status was associated with reduced vascular inflammation.
Only minor side effects were reported, such as mild gastrointestinal discomfort and headaches.
Implications and limitations
The findings suggest that incorporating strawberries into the diet could help strengthen antioxidant defences, lower inflammation, and improve fasting glucose regulation in people with prediabetes. These benefits may be linked to polyphenols enhancing glutathione synthesis and superoxide dismutase activity, alongside carotenoids and anthocyanins reducing oxidative stress and endothelial dysfunction.
The study’s strengths include its randomised crossover design, objective biomarker measurements, and the use of a realistic dietary dose of strawberries. However, the relatively small and predominantly female sample, the absence of a placebo control drink, lack of participant blinding, and single-site recruitment limit the generalisability of results.
The study was funded by the California Strawberry Commission.
A food-based approach to diabetes prevention
In summary, consuming a daily portion of freeze-dried strawberries for 12 weeks led to measurable improvements in antioxidant capacity, fasting glucose, and vascular inflammation among adults with prediabetes.
While further research in larger, more diverse populations is needed, these results point to strawberries as a simple, accessible dietary strategy that could help prevent the progression from prediabetes to type 2 diabetes in everyday clinical and public health settings.
CCH insights
It is great to have research that shows health benefits from eating strawberries, because nearly everyone loves strawberries and there aren’t many foods that are extremely popular and good for us. However, the amount of freeze-dried strawberries consumed in this study would set you back about £20 per week – not a huge amount, but during a cost-of-living crisis might not be feasible for many people. This study was, unsurprisingly, funded by the California Strawberry Commission, and it begs the question whether eating other berries or certain other foods might not have a similar effect – but credit to the strawberry industry for making the effort to do the research.
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