Researchers in Australia and Denmark conducted a remote 90-day crossover study to evaluate the supplement’s effects on cardiometabolic and microbiome markers compared to placebo. They observed positive effects on lipid metabolism and microbial pathways, but no differences in microbial diversity, bodyweight or markers of inflammation.
“Although the magnitude of these changes was modest, they indicate that PRSE can modulate key metabolic pathways even in a relatively young, metabolically healthy population with limited scope for physiological improvement,” the researchers wrote.
PRSE is a concentrated resin-like substance derived as a by-product of sugarcane molasses production. Extraction processes isolate and concentrate naturally occurring antioxidants and phytochemicals, such as polyphenols, while remaining sugar-free.
Previous research has indicated that PRSE may have benefits for glucose metabolism, inflammation and viral activity.
Given the contributions of oxidative stress and inflammation to the development of cardiometabolic disease, there is growing interest in investigating PRSE for the prevention of chronic conditions. The current study aimed to evaluate PRSE in healthy adults, hypothesizing that it would have a favorable effect on markers of metabolic regulation.
Study details
Researchers conducted a remote quadruple-blinded randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial in which 56 healthy adult participants completed assessments at home. The researchers obtained a complete dataset from 47 participants.
They were randomly assigned to consume either 500 mg/day of PRSE (two 250 mg capsules) or a placebo for 90 days and then crossed over to the other group. The study deliberately didn’t include a washout period, as the researchers deemed the residual carryover effects “unlikely to materially influence the primary outcomes”.
The primary outcomes were cardiometabolic biomarkers and gut microbial functional pathways, evaluated at the start of the study, at 90 days and at 180 days using fecal and blood samples and DNA extraction. Participants also completed a food and health questionnaire, and researchers assessed self-reported body weight and measures of mood and well-being.
The results showed that triglyceride, trans-fatty acid and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) concentrations increased in the control group. In the supplement group, triglycerides and VLDL remained stable and trans-fatty acids decreased slightly. The researchers didn’t observe significant treatment-time interactions for body weight, other cholesterol, blood glucose and fatty acid markers, or inflammatory markers.
Noting that VLDL increased by approximately 8.5 mg/dL during the placebo period but remained essentially unchanged during PRSE supplementation, the researchers commented that this finding is clinically meaningful given its links with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
“Similarly, PRSE supplementation reduced total plasma trans-fatty acid content by 0.07%. For context, a prospective study reported that each 0.1% increase in erythrocyte C18:1 trans-fatty acid content was associated with a 53% higher prevalence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque after adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors,” they wrote.
They found significant differences in selected gut-brain and gut metabolic functional pathways but no differences in markers of microbial diversity. Additionally, the supplement did not influence mood or well-being relative to placebo.
Noting that the findings should not be extrapolated to populations with obesity, metabolic syndrome, dyslipidemia, or diabetes without further investigation, the researchers called for future studies to determine if these findings may translate to these groups.
Source: Frontiers in Nutrition; doi: 10.3389/fnut.2026.1923420; “Polyphenol-rich sugarcane extract reduces circulating trans fatty acids, VLDL cholesterol, and triglycerides in healthy adults”. Authors: S. Lewin et al.
