The CNS (the brain and spinal cord) is particulary vulnerable to oxidative stress, and this vulnerability increases during ageing (Joseph et al, 1998). In fact as Dr. Joseph put it, “the brain becomes a hot bed of free radical activity in our old age.”
Shukitt-Hale et al. (2015) demonsrated in her research titled, The beneficial effects of berries on cognition, motor behaviour and neuronal function in ageing, the powerful cognitive effects by adding blueberry extract and strawberry extract to the diets of senile old rats.
The results showed that rats consuming the berry diets exhibited enhanced motor performance and improved cognition, specifically working memory. In addition, the rats supplemented with blueberry and strawberry diets showed increased hippocampal neurogenesis and expression of insulin-like growth factor 1.
What about research today on the bioavailability of blueberry polyphenols and their beneficial effect with human subjects?
Sandhu et al. (2017) explored the metabolic fate of blueberry anthocyanins after daily (90 days) supplementation of freeze-dried blueberry (equivalent of 1 cup of fresh blueberries). Their conclusion was that blueberry anthocyanins are absorbed and extensively metablized resulting in the production of various phenolic acid derivatives and their conjugates, all together contributing to the bioavailability and beneficial effects associated with blueberry comsumption.
Miller et al. (2017) studied men and women between the ages of 60 and 75 years. Their findings showed that the group consuming the equivalent of one cup of blueberries daily for 90 days exhibited significantly fewer errors in a verbal learning test and increased mental flexibility on a task-switching test, relative to the placebo group.
BioImmersion powerhouses for polyphenolics supplementation for a healthy brain:
- Blueberry Extract– 1 capsule daily
- Phyto Power– 2 capsules daily
- High ORAC Synbiotic– 1 capsule daily
- Joseph, J. A., Denisova, N., Fisher, D., Shukitt-Hale, B., Bickford, P., Prior, R., & Cao, G. (1998). Age-related neurodegeneration and oxidative stress: putative nutritional intervention. Neurologic clinics, 16(3), 747-755.
- Joseph, J. A., Denisova, N., Fisher, D., Shukitt‐Hale, B., Bickford, P., Prior, R., & Cao, G. (1998). Membrane and receptor modifications of oxidative stress vulnerability in aging: nutritional considerations. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 854(1), 268-276.
- Miller, M. G., Hamilton, D. A., Joseph, J. A., & Shukitt-Hale, B. (2017). Dietary blueberry improves cognition among older adults in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. European Journal of Nutrition, 1-12.
- Sandhu, A., Miller, M. G., Shukitt-Hale, B., Edirisinghe, I., & Burton-Freeman, B. (2017). Metabolic Fate of Blueberry Anthocyanins after Chronic Supplementation in Healthy Older Adults. The FASEB Journal, 31(1 Supplement), 646-20.
- Shukitt-Hale, B., Bielinski, D. F., Lau, F. C., Willis, L. M., Carey, A. N., & Joseph, J. A. (2015). The beneficial effects of berries on cognition, motor behaviour and neuronal function in ageing. British Journal of Nutrition, 114(10), 1542-154.