Skip to content
Blueberries
Blueberries have always been delicious, especially when those tiny black-blue gems are foraged for in the wild.
But in recent years the fruit of yogurt-topping and pie-filling have reached infamy as a superfood. The reason, as with so many superfoods, is their high antioxidant properties. Excellent at inhibiting free radicals, which damage cells, blueberries are also been found to have anti-inflammatory effects.
Additional research suggests that blueberries may help prevent some degenerative diseases and malignancies. Studies are being conducted on how blueberries may be beneficial in relation to blood pressure, eye health, neurodegeneration, improved memory, delay of cognitive aging, lowering the risk of cancer, and in the reduction of Parkinson’s Disease.
For more information on the beneficial effects of blueberries, all available research is listed below by topic.
Active constituents
Anthocyanidins, pterostilbene, resveratrol
Contraindications
There are no known contraindications and no known adverse reactions.
If you are taking blood thinners, consult a health care practitioner prior to use.
No known pregnancy and breastfeeding concerns.
AVAILABLE RESEARCH
Antioxidant
In this study, researchers used samples from countries worldwide and assayed the samples for their total antioxidant content using a modified version of the FRAP assay. The researchers found that berries have high antioxidant values.
In this study, a variety of wild berries (including blueberries) were tested to discover their oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) in the raw berries. The research concluded that “Alaska wild berries (including blueberries) have extraordinarily high antioxidant levels.”
Ten females consumed a blueberry smoothie or placebo of a similar antioxidant capacity five and 10 hours prior to and then immediately, 12 and 36 hours after exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). This study demonstrates that “the ingestion of a blueberry smoothie prior to and after EIMD accelerates recovery of muscle peak isometric strength.”
Anti-inflammatory
Blueberries are a source of eight phenolic acids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. This report shows that chlorogenic acid was found to be the more predominant one.
Blueberries have been found to reduces inflammatory compounds in human subjects. This study shows that the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-6 were reduced in patients consuming a concentrated blueberry supplement.
This study found that blueberries may reduce an inflammatory response in the colon. The anti-inflammatory effect is likely due to its antioxidant effect, the down-regulation of the expression of inflammatory mediators and inhibition of the nuclear translocation of NF-κB.
Blueberries have been found to be a good source of anthocyanidins which protect cells from oxidative damage.
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH
There is ongoing research on the effects of blueberry as it relates to the following health concerns:
Disease Prevention
May help prevent some degenerative diseases and malignancies (ovarian, melanoma and cervical cell lines have been studied).
This double-blind, placebo-controlled human trial demonstrates that daily blueberry consumption may reduce blood pressure and arterial stiffness, possibly due to increased nitric oxide production.
Blueberry ingestion for six weeks increases NK cells (natural killer cells) and reduces augmentation index, aortic systolic blood pressure, and diastolic pressures in sedentary males and postmenopausal females, suggests this human study.
This study examines how gallic acid, found in blueberries, is neuroprotective, prevents neurodegeneration and is an antioxidant.
Blueberries may reduce the spread and growth of triple negative breast cancer cells, and may reduce inflammatory cytokines, according to this study’s findings.
Evidence is accumulating that consumption of blueberries may be one strategy to prevent or even reverse age-related neuronal deficits.
Improves Eye Health
Pterostilbene, a naturally occurring compound in blueberries, has been studied in relation to how it helps to reduce oxidative damage in the cornea.
Anthocyanadins may help to decrease intraocular pressure in glaucoma and ocular hypertension, suggests this study.
To evaluate the protective effect of blueberry anthocyanins on Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells, in vitro cell models of replicative senescent and light-induced damage were established in the present study. These results demonstrate that “blueberry anthocyanins extracts are efficacious against senescence and light-induced damage of RPE cells.”
Improves Memory
In this study, researchers investigated the effects of daily consumption of wild blueberry juice in a sample in older adults with early memory changes. The findings of this preliminary study suggest that “moderate-term blueberry supplementation can confer neurocognitive benefit.”
Delays Cognitive Aging
In this study, researchers fed regulated doses of blueberry supplements to rats. The experiment found that “phytochemicals present in antioxidant-rich foods such as blueberries may be beneficial in reversing the course of neuronal and behavioral aging.”
Lowers Risk of Cancer
This paper focuses on studies of “whole berries” such as berry extracts and purified fractions, juices, and freeze-dried powders. Potential mechanisms of anticancer action and bioavailability of berry phenolics, as well as gaps in knowledge and recommendations for future berry research, are also briefly discussed.
Parkinson’s Disease
In this study, the researchers investigated whether blueberry extracts rich in anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, or other polyphenols suppress the neurotoxic effects of rotenone in a primary cell culture model of Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Their findings suggest that “anthocyanin- and proanthocyanidin-rich botanical extracts such as blueberries, may alleviate neurodegeneration in PD via enhancement of mitochondrial function.”
In this patient trial, researchers examined whether higher intakes of total flavonoids and their subclasses, were associated with a lower risk of developing Parkinson disease. Their findings suggest that “intake of some flavonoids may reduce Parkinson’s Disease risk, particularly in men.”
AVAILABLE RESEARCH ON CONTRADICTIONS
This review of literature assesses the use and misuse of various dietary intakes, including blueberries.