Eating Blueberries May Protect You from Alzheimer’s, Research Finds

Lisa Franchi March 15, 2016

There are many reasons to love blueberry. Apart from strengthening your immune system and promoting cell repair, snacking on blueberries may also protect you from dementia in the future - according to new research.

Scientists from the University of Cincinnati say blueberries contain compounds that may strengthen the brain’s defences against Alzheimer’s. And with the search on new medicines largely fruitless, despite hundreds of drug trials and billions of pounds of funding, some experts believe more emphasis should be placed on the benefits of a healthy diet.

For the study, researchers looked at 47 men and women aged 68-plus who had been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment.

Everyone was given either a placebo treatment or some freeze-dry blueberries to take once a day for four months. Participants were put into mental tests at the beginning and end of the study. Said tests covered memory and thinking skills which are most affected by dementia.

The results showed that the berries seemed to give the ageing brain a boost.

Researchers believe the benefits are due to anthocyanins, the plant chemicals that give the berries their deep blue/purple colour. These compounds are thought to act on the brain in various ways, including boosting blood flow, cutting inflammation, and enhancing the passage of information between cells. They may also boost cells’ defences.

‘Our findings corroborate those of previous animal studies and preliminary human studies, adding further support to the notion that blueberries can have a real benefit in improving memory and cognitive function in older adults.’ says lead researcher Robert Krikorian.

Next, he will study the effects of blueberries on older adults who are more susceptible to developing Alzheimer’s disease considering their weight, blood pressure or other medical condition.

‘I believe that berry supplementation and, in particular, blueberry supplementation, may reduce the risk for late-life cognitive decline.’ says Dr Krikorian. He adds that eating blueberries several times a week should be beneficial.

Source of this article:

The true superfood: Snacking on BLUEBERRIES could stop dementia developing decades later