Scientists Tap Wild Blueberries’ Potential in Preventing Devastating Diseases
Cardiovascular heath and metabolic syndrome headlined a forum held in August in Bar Harbor, Maine, devoted exclusively to continued research into the role of Wild Blueberries in critical areas of health. At the Wild Blueberry Research Summit, top scientists from the U.S. and Canada, known as the “Bar Harbor Group,” presented compelling new data to substantiate the connection between a blueberry-rich diet and prevention of two devastating illnesses: cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Since 1998, researchers have participated in the Summit to share current findings and advance collaborations into the disease-fighting potential of Wild Blueberries. Widely known as a brain food because of its anti-inflammatory abilities that may have a positive effect on Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s, the Wild Blueberry may also have the potential to be as well known for its effect on heart function.
Research presented at the Summit included a study from Don Ingram, Ph.D., from Louisiana State University’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center and formerly with the National Institute on Aging. Ingram recently collaborated on an important study in the area of cardiovascular health demonstrating that a blueberry-enriched diet protects the heart muscle from damage in animal models. (PLoS One, 2009 June 18; 4(6):e5954) “In this study, blueberries appear to act as both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent providing a protective effect against cardiovascular damage,” said Dr. Ingram.
Researchers also shared the results of studies related to metabolic syndrome, a combination of medical disorders including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, abdominal obesity, and impaired glucose tolerance responsible for increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Mary Ann Lila, Ph.D., from North Carolina State University, Plants for Human Health Institute, led a team of researchers whose focus was anthocyanin, the fruit compound responsible for the Wild Blueberry’s deep blue color. The study demonstrated that blueberry phytochemicals helped alleviate hyperglycemia in rodent models, a condition associated with diabetes and metabolic syndrome (Phytomedicine, 2009 May; 16(5): 406-15).
Said Dr. Lila, “With metabolic syndrome and diabetes on the rise, gaining a better understanding of how a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables may forestall some of these conditions is critical.” Read the full press release.
