Blueberries May Aid Balance, Memory
By PHILIP BRASHER
03:33 PM ET 09/17/99
WASHINGTON (AP) - A secret of youth may be as close as a nearby farm or the
supermarket shelves: blueberries. Elderly rats fed the human equivalent of at least half a
cup of blueberries a day improved in balance, coordination and short-term memory, a study
published in the Journal of Neuroscience said. A cup of blueberries is a normal serving.
Like other fruits and vegetables, blueberries contain chemicals that act as
antioxidants. Scientists believe antioxidants protect the body against ``oxidative
stress,'' one of several biological processes that cause aging.
People ``are told that once you're old, there's nothing you can do. That might
not be true,'' said Barbara Shukitt-Hale, who co-authored the study at the Agriculture
Department's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston.
Blueberries, strawberries and spinach all test high in their ability to subdue molecules
called oxygen free radicals, which are created when cells convert oxygen into energy. In
normal amounts, free radicals help rid the body of toxins, but they can also harm cell
membranes and DNA, which results in cell deaths.
The Tufts study said strawberry and spinach extract produced some improvement in
memory, but only blueberry extract had a significant impact on balance and coordination.
Other studies have suggested that antioxidants in fruits and vegetables could
prevent cancer and heart disease. Previous research by the Tufts scientists indicated that
antioxidants slowed down the aging process in rats that started taking the dietary
supplement at 6 months of age. Their latest study was the first to show antioxidants can
actually reverse age-related declines, they said.
They don't know why blueberries were more effective than strawberries and
spinach or exactly how the chemicals work in the laboratory animals.
``Fruits and vegetables in general are very good for you. That's without
question ... It's another thing to know why,'' said Marcelle Morrison-Bogorad, who directs
the neuroscience and neuropsychology program at the National Institute of Aging. Clinical
trials need to be done to see whether humans could benefit, she said. The institute, which
helped finance the Tufts research, already is sponsoring studies to test the effect of
vitamin E, another antioxidant, aspirin and B vitamins on the mental processes of older
women.
The rats used in the Tufts study were 19 months old, the equivalent of 65 to 70
years in humans.
They begin losing motor skills at 12 months. By 19 months, the time it takes a
rat to walk a narrow rod before losing its balance drops from 13 seconds to 5 seconds.
After eating daily doses of blueberry extract for eight weeks, the rats could stay on the
rod for an average of 11 seconds.
They also performed better in negotiating mazes, as did those fed strawberry and
spinach extracts, which signals improved short-term memory. But the subjects on the
strawberry and spinach diet were no better at staying on the rod than rats who got no
fruit extract.
The scientists believe the antioxidants improve cell membranes so that important
nutrients and chemicals can flow through more easily.
James Joseph, one of the Tufts scientists, starts his day by mixing a handful of
berries in a protein drink. ``Motor behavior is one of the first things to go as you
age,'' he said.
