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Supplement

Punicalagins

Punicalagins are large antioxidant compounds found in pomegranate peel and juice, which gut bacteria break down into smaller molecules the body can absorb. People mostly look at them for prostate cancer, but the evidence is limited: in one small study of 46 people, nitric oxide went up, while estrogen showed no clear difference. That is a very thin base, so these findings say little about whether punicalagins change anything that matters for prostate health.

Best evidence
Grade C
Conditions studied
1
Outcomes
6
Graded outcomes
0011

Evidence by condition

  • Strong
  • Moderate
  • Limited
  • Very limited

1 condition

Prostate Cancer

Prostate Cancer: outcomes studied for Punicalagins
GradeOutcomeEffectSizeStudiesPeopleStudies list
Nitric Oxide

Small Increase

Improves (the measure goes up)Small effect46 people
Estrogen

No effect

NoneNo effect46 people
Prostate-Specific AntigenImproves (the measure goes up)2 studies138 people

Studies that measured prostate-specific antigen

Oxidative Stress BiomarkersImproves (the measure goes down)46 people
Prostate Cancer RiskImproves (the measure goes down)138 people
TestosteroneImproves (the measure goes up)46 people

Key findings

  • Nitric OxideProstate CancerImproves (the measure goes up)
  • EstrogenProstate Cancer

Studies cited

2 studies from PubMed

  1. Phase II study of pomegranate juice for men with rising prostate-specific antigen following surgery or radiation for prostate cancerClin Cancer Res · PMID 16818701
  2. A randomized phase II study of pomegranate extract for men with rising PSA following initial therapy for localized prostate cancerProstate Cancer Prostatic Dis · PMID 22689129