Citrus low-methoxy pectin may reduce inflammation and anxiety

31-Oct-2024 - Last updated on 01-Nov-2024 at 16:30 GMT

Study Shows LM Pectin may reduce inflammation, anxiety, and support healthy aging © fizkes / Getty Images

Low-methoxy (LM) pectin supplementation at 15 g daily reduces inflammatory markers and scores for depression and anxiety in healthy volunteers, according to new research.

The study, published in Nutrients, is reportedly the first to explore the effects of LM pectin on inflammation and mood in humans, expanding evidence from previous animal and laboratory studies about the supplement’s beneficial properties.

“The implications of this research - showing that nutritional supplementation with LM pectin has anti-inflammatory and anxiety reducing effects in healthy individuals - are that there is the potential for the development of functional foods enriched with LM pectin which might help reduce the burden of anxiety in the general population,” researcher Ana M Valdes, Professor in Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology at the University of Nottingham told Nutraingredients.

Additionally, the supplement may have further reaching implications for disease and aging.

“The effects on inflammation may also help reduce some of the effects of subclinical systemic inflammation which underly the risk of several chronic non transmissible diseases and complications as we age - thus supplementation with LM pectin may contribute to improve outcomes in a natural way to enhance healthy aging,” said Valdes.

Properties of pectin

Pectin is a soluble fiber (polysaccharide) derived from plants. It is commonly used as a gelling agent and nutritional supplement.

Research indicates that pectin supports the gut and immune system and has anti-inflammatory effects.

The degree of methyl-esterification determines pectin’s physical and biochemical characteristics, which can be classified as either high-methoxyl (HM) pectin (over 50% esterification) or LM pectin (less than 50% esterification).

Previous animal studies have demonstrated LM pectin’s anti-inflammatory effects, which laboratory studies suggest are due to interaction with TLR2–TLR1 receptors.

Noting that their study is the first to explore these effects in humans, Valdes explained that the impact on anxiety might be due to mechanisms involving the microbiome and gut inflammation that require further exploration.

Citing previous research that shows that gut inflammation causes mental health issues, Valdes said: “It is thus possible that decreased inflammation in the gut translates (at a lower dose of LM pectin) into reduced mood symptoms - subclinical inflammation may alter the gut-brain signaling, affecting neurotransmitter levels (such as serotonin) and contributing to mood disturbances which are relieved at a lower dose in the gut than what is needed for the antiinflammatory effects to be seen in blood.”

Study details

The researchers conducted a four-week dietary intervention with 14 healthy participants. They consumed a daily dose of 20g of citrus LM pectin added to liquid with a degree of methyl-esterification below 10%.

They assessed inflammation using blood samples and mood using anxiety and depression scores.

The study also included an independent cohort of 15 healthy volunteers who tested the supplement at doses of 5g, 10g, and 15g for two weeks each.

At the end of the four-week study period, the researchers found that the supplement decreased the pro-inflammatory markers TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and INF-gamma and increased the anti-inflammatory marker IL-10. In addition, anxiety scores significantly decreased. These results were not observed in the control group.

In the dose-response study, the researchers observed anti-inflammatory effects at 15g but not for 5g or 10g. There were also decreased depression and anxiety scores for 10g and 15g.

Valdes called for further research exploring LM pectin’s effects on the gut microbiome and neurotransmitters “in addition to assessing if the effects of LM pectin are also seen in less healthy individuals or in the elderly suffering from "inflammaging" as that might open new avenues toward enhancing healthy aging.”

Source: Nutrients 2024, 16(19), 3326; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193326
“Supplementation with citrus low-methoxy pectin reduces levels of inflammation and anxiety in healthy volunteers: A pilot controlled dietary intervention study.”
Authors: A. Vijay et al.