Polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract reduces circulating trans fatty acids, VLDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in healthy adults

Background Polyphenol-rich sugarcane extracts (PRSEs) are food-derived sources of naturally occurring bioactive polyphenols with increasing relevance to metabolic regulation, gut microbiome function, and overall well-being. Objective This fully remote trial investigated the effects of PRSE supplementation on cardiometabolic biomarkers and gut microbiota. Methods Healthy adults aged 18–55 years ( n  = 47, female = 36 and male = 11) residing in Australia were recruited to a remote quadruple-blinded, randomised, placebo-controlled cross-over trial, with each intervention arm lasting 90 days. Participants received PRSE oral capsules at 500 mg/day (two 250 mg doses) or maltodextrin placebo capsules. Blood and faecal samples were collected for subsequent blood biomarkers and microbiome analyses, respectively. Self-reported qualitative surveys were conducted to assess overall wellbeing over the 6-month period. Results Significant treatment × time effects were observed for circulating trans -fatty acids (%), triglycerides and VLDL cholesterol, as well as several microbial metabolic pathways, including glycerol degradation III, pyruvate dehydrogenase, and p -cresol degradation. No significant effects were detected for body weight, inflammatory, or glycaemic markers following correction for multiple comparisons. Conclusion PRSE supplementation was associated with a lower circulating proportion of trans -fatty acids, and lower triglyceride and VLDL cholesterol concentrations compared with placebo. PRSE supplementation also modulated selected microbial functional pathways without affecting overall microbiome diversity or community composition. These findings support the biological activity of PRSE and suggest potential interactions between host metabolic and microbiome-related mechanisms. Clinical trial registration https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=386733&isReview=true , identifier, ANZCTR; ACTRN12624000055505.