Randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study of the antihypertensive effects of Grana Padano D.O.P. cheese consumption in mild - moderate hypertensive subjects.

OBJECTIVE: Grana Padano, an Italian protected designation of origin (PDO) semi-fat cheese, undergoes a long ripening period during which the proteolysis carried out by natural starter lactic acid bacteria releases peptides having sustained angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity. The length (generally 3-8 amino acid residues) and the sequence of these peptides are responsible for their ability to elicit ACE-inhibitory activity. The aim of this study has been the evaluation of the effect of a daily dietary supplement consisting in a small amount (30 g/day) of Grana Padano cheese, in terms of the lowering of the blood pressure (BP) of mild - moderate hypertensive subjects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty mild – moderate hypertensive patients, with BP values not on target (> 140 and/or > 90 mmHg) after at least 3 months of stable treatment were considered in this randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled cross-over study. All patients randomly received a dietary integration (30 g/day) of Grana Padano cheese or a placebo (made from flavored grated bread mixed with fats and salts in concentrations equal to those of the cheese). BP was evaluated at baseline and at the end of the active and placebo treatments (2 months each) by: – Office BP (OBP); – Automated Office BP (AOBP) using the BpTRU ®, an automated oscillometric device that provides the average of multiple (n=6) blood pressure measurements; – Ambulatory Blood Pressure (ABP) 24 hour monitoring. RESULTS: Dietary integration with Grana Padano cheese resulted in a significant decrease in Office, Automated Office and Ambulatory BP. The mean decrease (vs. placebo) for 24-hour ABP was –3.5 mmHg for systolic and –2.4 mmHg for diastolic BP (p = 0.0063 and p = 0.0065, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Daily dietary integration with 30 g of Grana Padano DOP cheese effectively reduces BP and may help mild-to-moderate hypertensive patients to reach a target BP.