Massimiliano Tucci, Cristian Del Bo', Daniela Martini, Simone Perna, Mirko Marino, Marco Rendine, Claudio Gardana, Alberto Battezzati, Alessandro Leone, Simona Bertoli, Giancarlo Aldini, Patrizia Riso
Journal: Food research international (Ottawa, Ont.) 2024;197(Pt 1):115189
PMID: 39593399
Ageing leads to a progressive decline in cellular function, increasing the risk of frailty, disease, and death. This study aimed to assess whether eating blueberries improves blood vessel function in older adults. This single-blind, randomised, controlled, acute crossover study divided participants into two intervention sequences: blueberry (BB) → washout → control (C) or C → washout → BB. Results showed that a single serving of blueberries improved the markers of blood vessel function, in older adults. This improvement was associated with increased absorption of anthocyanins (ACNs), which are the pigments responsible for the blue/purple colour of blueberries known for having a biological function, which peaked within two hours of consumption. The authors concluded that further research is necessary to determine how blueberries may benefit blood vessel function and to determine the optimal dose for blood vessel health in older adults.
Evidence suggests that polyphenol-rich foods like berries may help counteract aging-related disorders such as vascular dysfunction and arterial stiffness. However, few intervention studies have been conducted in older adults. This study aimed to assess whether the consumption of blueberries may improve vascular function in older subjects. A randomized, controlled, crossover trial was conducted in a group of 20 volunteers over 60 years old. Participants consumed either a blueberry mousse (250 g, providing 480 mg of anthocyanins - ACNs) or a control product (250 mL of sugared water), with treatments separated by at least 1-week. Reactive hyperemia index (RHI), augmentation index (AIx), blood pressure, and heart rate were measured at baseline and 2 h post-consumption. Blood samples were collected at baseline and after 1, 1.5, 2 and 4 h from the intake to evaluate ACN bioavailability, metabolic, and vascular markers. Sixteen subjects completed the trial (9 males, 7 females; mean age 69 ± 5 years). Blueberry consumption significantly increased RHI compared to control (mean difference + 0.42, 95 % CI: 0.01-0.082, p < 0.05). Maximum serum ACN concentration was observed at 2 h (20.3 ± 7.4 ng/mL). No association was found between RHI improvement and total serum ACNs, but a significant positive correlation was detected with delphinidin and cyanidin-3-glucoside (p < 0.01). No effects on AIx, blood pressure, or other markers were found. In conclusion, blueberries may improve peripheral vascular function in older adults, potentially due to increased ACN levels. Further studies are needed to corroborate these findings and elucidate the mechanisms involved.
Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
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