Blueberries for Children's Health

Overseen By Jill A Gassaway, BS

Age: < 18

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute

Disqualifiers: Diabetes, Asthma, Epilepsy, others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

Duration: 5 days

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how blueberries affect the health of children who consume few fruits and vegetables. Researchers aim to identify which nutrients from blueberries appear in the children's blood and urine. Participants will consume foods with either wild blueberry powder or placebo foods without blueberries. Children who eat less than 1.5 cups of fruit and less than 2 cups of vegetables daily may be suitable candidates. However, this trial is not suitable for children with conditions such as asthma, diabetes, or allergies to blueberries. As an unphased trial, it provides a unique opportunity to contribute to understanding the health benefits of blueberries in children's diets.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it mentions that pre-existing medical conditions or medications that could affect the study's outcomes may exclude you from participating.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that wild blueberries are generally safe for children. In studies, children who consumed wild blueberry powder showed no major health differences compared to those who did not, indicating that the supplement does not cause harmful side effects.

Another study found that eating wild blueberries can improve mood and thinking skills in children. The amount of blueberry powder used in these studies is usually safe. Consuming more than 100 grams of berries might exceed the recommended daily intake of some nutrients, but the amounts used in research are typically much lower.

Overall, wild blueberry supplements appear safe for children, with no serious side effects reported in these studies. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial's treatments?

Unlike the standard treatments for improving children's health, which often involve vitamins or medications, the treatment in focus here is derived from wild blueberries. Researchers are excited about this approach because wild blueberries are packed with antioxidants, which are thought to support brain health and improve cognitive function. Unlike traditional supplements, this treatment is incorporated into everyday foods, making it easier and more enjoyable for children to consume regularly. This unique delivery method could potentially lead to better adherence and more consistent health benefits.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for children's health?

Research shows that wild blueberries might help improve brain function in children. Studies have found that eating wild blueberries can boost memory, decision-making skills, and mood in kids. In this trial, participants will receive either a wild blueberry supplement or a placebo supplement. One study discovered that a blueberry product rich in natural compounds quickly enhanced focus and reaction times. Another study confirmed these benefits, showing improvements in mood and thinking skills. Overall, evidence suggests that adding wild blueberries to a child's diet could support better brain health. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Eva C Diaz, MD

Principal Investigator

Arkansas Children's Reserach Institute

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

The Blueberry Study is for children of all ethnicities and BMIs who eat less than 1.5 cups of fruit and fewer than 2 cups of vegetables per day. It's not for kids with blueberry allergies, epilepsy, asthma, kidney or hormonal diseases, bleeding disorders, chronic infections, diabetes (Type 1 or Type 2), ADHD, ODD, ASD or other significant health issues that could affect the study.

Inclusion Criteria

Eats less than 1.5 cups of fruit and less than 2.0 cups of vegetables per day

All BMIs

All ethnicities

Exclusion Criteria

Parent or child refusal to have blood drawn

Known allergy to blueberries

Autistic spectrum disorder

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive 30 grams of wild blueberry powder per day in food items for 5 days

5 days

3 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

up to 2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Placebo containing foods
• Wild blueberry containing foods

Trial Overview This study tests the effects of wild blueberries on children's health by comparing nutrients found in blood and urine after eating foods containing either wild blueberries or a placebo. The goal is to understand how these nutrients from blueberries are absorbed by children.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Wild Blueberry Supplement Active Control 1 Intervention

30 grams of wild blueberry powder per day in foods items provided to them

Group II: Placebo supplement Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Food items will be provided to them without the wild blueberry power.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute

Lead Sponsor

Trials

141

Recruited

5,025,000+

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Collaborator

Trials

103

Recruited

287,000+

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)

Collaborator

Trials

315

Recruited

251,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6768899/

The effects of acute wild blueberry supplementation on the ... This indicates that a flavonoid-rich blueberry product, equivalent to 240 g or 1½ cups of fresh blueberries can provide acute cognitive benefits in children.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8572198/

Effects of daily consumption of wild blueberry on cognition and ... Acute intervention with wild blueberry (WBB) has previously revealed positive cognitive and mood effects in typically developing children; ...

3. wildblueberries.com wildblueberries.com/blog/wild-blueberries-and-kids-brains/

Wild Blueberries and Kids' Brains Wild blueberries may improve memory, executive function, response times, and mood in children and teens. Studies show improved performance on memory and ...

4. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1623521/full

Introducing blueberry powder as one of the first ... The central hypothesis was that the inclusion of blueberry powders in an infant's complementary diet would favorably change the gut microbiota.

5. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04421950

Study Details | NCT04421950 | The Blueberry Study The study will assess if a short-term supplementation (5 days) with wild blueberry powder impacts immune responses as well as markers for cardiovascular and ...

6. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157523004970

Wild bilberries – Superfood or health risk A child of 4–8 years old will reach the Tolerable Upper Intake Level of Mn (3 mg/day) by eating somewhat more than 100 g of bilberries in a day. In addition, ...

7. webmd.com webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1013/blueberry

Blueberry - Uses, Side Effects, and More Learn more about Blueberry uses, effectiveness, possible side effects, interactions, dosage, user ratings and products that contain Blueberry.