Two-Month Consumption of Orange Juice Enriched with Vitamin D3 and Probiotics Decreases Body Weight, Insulin Resistance, Blood Lipids, and Arterial Blood Pressure in High-Cardiometabolic-Risk Patients on a Westernized Type Diet: Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

This study examined the effects of orange juice (OJ) supplemented with vitamin D3 (2000 IU) and probiotics (Lacticaseibacillus casei Shirota and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG, 10⁸ cfu/mL) on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight and obese adults following a Westernized-type diet. Fifty-three high-risk individuals were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Over 8 weeks, one group consumed a vitamin D3 and probiotic-enriched OJ and the other regular OJ (control). Diets remained unchanged and were documented through food diaries. Measures of metabolic and inflammatory markers and blood pressure were measured at the start and end of the study. Post-intervention, the enriched OJ group showed the following significant metabolic improvements (without changes in triglycerides, inflammation, or central blood pressure): reduced fasting insulin, peripheral blood pressure, body weight (-1.4 kg 95% CI: -2.4, -0.4), energy (-270 kcal 95% CI: -553.2, -13.7), macronutrient (dietary fat -238 kcal 95% CI: -11.9, -1.0; carbohydrates -155 kcal 95% CI: -282.4, -27.3; sugars -16.1 g 95% CI: -11.9, -1.0) intake, and better lipid profiles (total cholesterol -10.3 mg/dL 95% CI: -21.4, 0.9; LDL-C -7 mg/dL 95% CI: -13.5, -0.5). The enriched OJ led to weight loss, less energy/macronutrient consumption, improved lipid profiles, and increased insulin sensitivity after 8 weeks in those following a Westernized diet, thus indicating potential benefits for cardiometabolic risk. This study was a part of FunJuice-T2EDK-01922, which was funded by the EU Regional Development Fund and Greek National Resources.

Keywords: adults; blood glucose; blood lipids; blood pressure; body weight; fruit juice; insulin resistance; probiotics; vitamin D.

Figure 1

Trial design diagram showing participant flow. Abbreviations—OJ: orange juice (Aspis SA Hellenic Juice Industry, Greece). Metabolic parameters: blood glucose, insulin, blood lipids (total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, triglycerides), C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, urea, complete blood count, and serum vitamin D.

Figure 2

Changes in the energy (A) and macronutrient intake (fat: (B), carbohydrates: (C)), anthropometric indices (D), and biochemical characteristics (TC: (E), LDL-C: (F)) between baseline and follow-up in patients in the vitamin D3 and probiotic-enriched orange juice (OJ) group vs. those in the placebo group. The p-values were derived through comparisons between the enriched OJ and control OJ, adjusted for age and sex, using mixed linear models. Abbreviations: TC: total cholesterol; LDL-C: low density lipoprotein cholesterol.