Blueberry Intervention for Brain Aging

Overseen By Caitlin Boeckman

Age: 65+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Kansas Medical Center

Must not be taking: Psychoactive, Investigational

Disqualifiers: Neurological diseases, Psychiatric disorders, Diabetes, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

Duration: 12 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if increased blueberry consumption can boost brain antioxidants and improve blood flow in older adults. One group of participants will eat a serving of blueberries daily, while the control group will receive a placebo. The trial is suitable for individuals who are generally healthy, consume fewer than one serving of berries per week, and do not have serious health conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure. As an unphased trial, it offers a unique opportunity to contribute to scientific understanding and potentially enhance brain health through dietary changes.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that you do not use psychoactive or investigational medications. If you are taking these types of medications, you may need to stop them to participate.

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

Research shows that adding blueberries to the diet is usually safe and might benefit brain health. One study found that older adults who drank wild blueberry juice for 12 weeks experienced improved memory. While some studies have mixed results, blueberries are believed to enhance blood flow in the brain.

Eating blueberries has been associated with a lower risk of dementia and improved cognitive skills. The reviewed studies did not find any major harmful side effects from consuming blueberries. However, as with any dietary change, it is advisable to monitor how the body reacts. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Unlike typical treatments for brain aging that may involve pharmaceuticals or cognitive therapies, this intervention is unique because it uses blueberries as the active ingredient. Blueberries are rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, which could help protect the brain from oxidative stress and improve cognitive function. Researchers are excited because this dietary approach is natural, potentially easier on the body, and could offer a simple, everyday way for people to support their brain health.

What evidence suggests that increased blueberry intake might be effective for brain aging?

Research shows that blueberries might benefit brain health in older adults. In this trial, participants in the intervention arm will receive a dietary intervention of blueberries. One study found that drinking wild blueberry juice for 12 weeks improved memory in older adults with early memory problems. Another study suggested that regularly eating blueberries could slow brain aging by up to 2.5 years. Additionally, animal studies have shown that blueberries can improve blood flow to the brain and reduce inflammation. These findings suggest that blueberries might help maintain brain health and slow age-related issues. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

In-Young Choi, PhD

Principal Investigator

Department of Neurology

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This study is for older adults who are cognitively normal, have a BMI between 18.5-35, speak and read English well, are in good health without serious diseases, and eat very few berries. It's not for pregnant individuals or those with blueberry allergies, major head trauma history, life-threatening illnesses, recent severe psychiatric disorders including depression or anxiety, diabetes, metabolic syndrome or uncontrolled high blood pressure.

Inclusion Criteria

I speak and read English as my primary language.

I am in good health with no other major illnesses.

Low berry consumption (≤1 serving/week)

Exclusion Criteria

I am not taking any psychoactive or investigational drugs.

Presence of major psychiatric disorders within the past 3 years including depression, anxiety, and alcohol or drug abuse

Pregnancy

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either a placebo or a dietary intervention of blueberries for 3 months

12 weeks

4 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Control
• Intervention

Trial Overview The trial is testing whether eating more blueberries can boost brain antioxidants (specifically glutathione) and improve blood flow to the brain in older adults. Participants will be divided into two groups: one that receives an increased amount of blueberries (intervention) and another that does not receive this increase (control).

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will receive the dietary intervention. Participants will take 1 serving of blueberries/day.

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will receive a placebo. Participants will take 1 serving of placebo/day.

Intervention is already approved in United States for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Digital Meditation Intervention for:

• Loneliness in Older Adults
• Social Isolation
• Emotional Well-being

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Kansas Medical Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

527

Recruited

181,000+

U.S. Highbush Blueberry Council

Collaborator

Trials

18

Recruited

1,100+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2850944/

Blueberry Supplementation Improves Memory in Older Adults This study indicated that wild blueberry juice supplementation for 12 weeks improved memory function in older adults with early memory decline.

2. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT07177781

Effects of Wild Blueberry Consumption on Brain Function in ... This study hypothesizes that longer-term wild blueberry intake improves (regional) brain vascular function and insulin-sensitivity, thereby ...

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S155171442500120X

Rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial ... Observational studies suggest that a higher intake of blueberries and strawberries is associated with a delay in cognitive aging by up to 2.5 years [9]. Other ...

4. tandfonline.com tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1028415X.2022.2117475

Six-month intervention with wild blueberries improved ... Those with the highest levels of berry intake showed a delay in cognitive decline of up to 2.5 years. In the seminal clinical study, the ...

5. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6580694/

Blueberries Improve Neuroinflammation and Cognition ... Daily supplementation of blueberries (BBs) reverses age-related deficits in behavior in aged rats. However, it is unknown whether BB is more beneficial to ...

6. alzdiscovery.org alzdiscovery.org/uploads/cognitive_vitality_media/Blueberries.pdf

Blueberry Aging and related health concerns: There are conflicting data from RCTs, but blueberries may improve vascular function and observational studies ...

7. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05764824

Long-term Effects of Blueberry Supplementation on Brain ... This study will test whether consuming blueberry powder 20g/d for 24 weeks can improve memory and other cognitive function and alter serum biomarkers of brain ...

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10450204/

Blueberry Supplementation Effects on Neuronal and ... Blueberry consumption has been associated with reduced risk of dementia in some epidemiologic studies and with improvements in cognition in healthy aging ...