Blueberries are a popular berry that can be added to salads, cereals and desserts, according to an online edition for girls and women aged 14 to 35. Pannochka. net For the high content of antioxidants, which protect against cancer and cardiovascular diseases, in the West, blueberries are deservedly called "superfoods" and recommended for healthy nutrition.
Now, American scientists have discovered that blueberries help fight Alzheimer's disease.
This was reported by Dr. Robert Krikorian at the 251st National Meeting-Exhibition of the American Chemical Society, which was held March 13-16 in San Diego.
"Our study is completely consistent with the data of other works, adding new evidence of the positive effects of blueberries on the memory and intelligence of older people," says Dr. Krikorian.
The benefits of blueberries in Alzheimer's disease are likely due to the high content of anthocyanins. These valuable biologically active substances can be found in bright blue and purple vegetables and fruits, including eggplant, red cabbage, blueberry and others.. Anthocyanins are also credited with the ability to protect against cancer.
According to the Alzheimer's Association, in 2015, 5.3 million people in the United States suffered from the disease, with 5.1 million of them elderly people 65 years of age or older.
As the US population ages, scientists expect a significant increase in the number of patients by 2025 - up to 7.1 million people.
Early clinical trials conducted by Dr. Krikorian showed that regular intake of blueberry powder can delay the onset of symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. But these data were received on an insignificant (less than 100 people) number of participants, so they still have to be checked.
Bilberry powder improves the functioning of the brain. In the first trial, 47 elderly people (all over the age of 68) participated, half of whom received a daily dose of dry blueberry powder equivalent to one dish of fresh berries. The second half was given a placebo powder that smelled and tasted blueberries.
Duration of admission was 16 weeks.
Dr. Krikorian reports that participants who took real blueberries demonstrated a marked improvement in cognitive function compared to the placebo group. This was confirmed by both memory and thinking tests, as well as by the results of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
The second test was less eloquent. 94 volunteers of 62-80 years who themselves reported problems with memory in questionnaires. Participants were divided into 4 groups that received blueberry powder, fish oil, a combination of the first and second or placebo.
"Indicators of thinking have become somewhat better with blueberry powder and fish oil, but the memory has improved slightly," says Krikoryan. The results of this study were not so impressive.
Despite the modest scales of work and insufficiently convincing results, scientists continue to regard blueberries as a useful product for all elderly people, and especially for people with mild cognitive impairment.
Sponsors of the Krikorian study were the US National Aging Institute and the local organization of blueberry producers US Highbush Blueberry Council.
medbe. en.