Strawberries decrease circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor and lipid peroxides in obese adults with knee osteoarthritis

Basu A, Kurien BT, Tran H, Byrd B, Maher J, Schell J, Masek E, Barrett JR, Lyons TJ, Betts NM, Scofield RH · Food & Function

Extends the pain trial into the inflammation panel. Of 24 multiplex inflammatory biomarkers, 12 were detectable and one, soluble TNF receptor 2, fell on strawberry (p = 0.01); high-sensitivity TNF-α, measured separately by ELISA, also fell (p = 0.02), as did the lipid-peroxidation markers 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and conjugated dienes. Other TNF-superfamily members (APRIL, BAFF) did not move, nor did body weight, obesity-related hormones or osteocalcin.

Population

The same obese knee-OA cohort as the 2017 pain trial

Intervention

Freeze-dried strawberry, 50 g/day for 12 weeks

Comparator

Calorie- and fibre-matched placebo, crossover with a 2-week washout

Limitations

Same 17 participants as the companion paper, so this is a second report on one small trial rather than independent replication. Twelve of 24 biomarkers were detectable and one moved, a multiplicity the paper acknowledges and does not adjust for. Powders from the California Strawberry Commission.