Evidence That Blueberry Juice Improves Memory in Older Adults

Scientists are reporting the first evidence from human research that blueberries improve memory. They said the study establishes a basis for comprehensive human clinical trials to determine whether blueberries really deserve their growing reputation as a memory enhancer. A report on the study appears in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

In the study, one group of volunteers in their 70s with early memory decline drank the equivalent of 2 to 2 l/2 cups of a commercially available blueberry juice every day for two months. A control group drank a beverage without blueberry juice.

The blueberry juice group showed significant improvement on learning and memory tests, the scientists said. "These preliminary memory findings are encouraging and suggest that consistent supplementation with blueberries may offer an approach to forestall or mitigate neurodegeneration," according to the report. The research involved scientists from the University of Cincinnati, the USDA, and the Canadian department of agriculture.

— Source: American Chemical Society