Background:The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of blueberry supplementation on exercise performance time, inflammation markers, energy substrates, insulin, and TAS levels during two periods: non-supplemented period and supplemented period.

Methods:Eight young active participants were recruited from the Department of Physical Education at some universities in Busan City, Republic of Korea. The test period was divided into two Sections: non-supplemented period and supplemented period. Vo2 max and exercise performance time of participants were measured, with or without blueberry supplementation, with a portable gas analyzer and ECG, respectively.

Results:Vo2 max and exercise performance time were increased in the blueberry supplementation period. IL-6 and CRP levels were significantly lowered in blueberry supplementation period following exercise.

Conclusion:The blueberry supplementation can potentially increase the exercise performance and decrease the IL-6 and CRP levels caused by an increased TAS level.

BACKGROUND:Chemopreventive effects and the underlying mechanisms of blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) are not clearly understood in human. We hypothesized blueberry would work via antioxidative and epigenetic modulation, which is similar to vitamin C.

METHODS:We performed a pilot and non-inferiority study in healthy young women (n = 12), who consumed vitamin C (1 g/d) or 240 mL of blueberry juice (total polyphenols 300 mg and proanthocyanidin 76 mg/d) for 2 weeks. We analyzed 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in their urine, and global and specific DNA methylation at the NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), or DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) genes in their blood.

RESULTS:Urinary 8-OHdG levels were reduced by blueberry consumption rather than by vitamin C. The methylation (%) of the MTHFR was significantly decreased in blueberry-consumers and the antioxidant-susceptible subgroup, whose urinary MDA levels were decreased by the intervention. We also found a positive correlation between changes of urinary 8-OHdG and of DNA methylation at the MTHFR or the DNMT1 (P<0.05). However, the genetic polymorphism of the MTHFR (C677T in exon 4) did not affect any above markers.

CONCLUSIONS:Blueberry juice shows similar anti-oxidative or anti-premutagenic activity to vitamin C and the potential as a methylation inhibitor for the MTHFR and the DNMT1 in human.

In a 4-week randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial we investigated the effect of 300 mg Blueberin, a phytomedicine containing 250 mg Blueberry leaves (Vaccinium arctostaphylos L, Ericaceae) extract providing minimum 50 mg 3,4-caffeoylquinic (chlorogenic) acid, and 50 mg myricetin, on fasting plasma glucose, alanine aminotransferases (ALT), aspartate aminotransferases (AST), glutamyltransferase (GGT) enzymes levels, and serum inflammatory C-Reactive proteins (CRP) in forty-two volunteer subjects (46+/-15 year of age, BMI 25+/-3 kgs/(m2)) diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. During the 4-week trial, the Blueberin supplement was administered three times per day, 15-30 minutes prior to a meal along with 100 ml of water. Results of this trial revealed that the supplementation of Blueberin reduced fasting plasma glucose from 143+/-5,2mg/L to 104+/-5,7 mg/L (p<0,001), whereas there was no statistically significant changes in the Placebo group from 138+/-4,8 mg/L to 126+/-5,1mg/L (p>0,05).The reduction of fasting glucose was correlated with the reduction of serum CRP and in the Blueberin group from 5,18+/-1,4 mg/l to 2,14+/-1,8 mg/L (p<0,05), whereas in the Placebo group CRP levels were not significantly reduced from 5,11+/-1,7 mg/l to 4,94+/-1,1mg/L (p>0,05). Furthermore, the Blueberin also significantly reduced the levels of plasma enzymes ALT, AST and GGT, indicating that, in addition to anti-diabetes effects, the Blueberin also possess pharmacologically relevant anti-inflammatory properties.

Blueberries are abundant with anthocyanins possessing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. As these properties combat fatigue and promote recovery, blueberry supplementation may enhance performance and recovery. Thus, the objectives were to examine the effects of two blueberry supplementation protocols on running performance, physiological responses, and short-term recovery. Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo (PLA)-controlled crossover design, 14 runners completed an 8-km time trial (TT) after supplementation with 4 days of blueberries (4DAY), 4 days of a PLA, or 2 days of placebo followed by 2 days of blueberries (2DAY). Heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion were monitored during the TT. Blood lactate, vertical jump, reactive strength index, and salivary markers were assessed before and after. No significant differences were observed for time to complete the TT (PLA: 3,010± 459 s; 2DAY: 3,014 ± 488 s; 4DAY: 3,011 ± 423 s), heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion, or any of the salivary markers. An interaction effect (p = .027) was observed for blood lactate, with lower post-TT concentrations in 4DAY (5.4 ± 2.0 mmol/L) than PLA (6.6 ± 2.5 mmol/L; p = .038)and 2DAY (7.4 ± 3.4 mmol/L; p = .034). Post-TT decreases in vertical jump height were not different, whereas the decline in reactive strength index was less following 4DAY (-6.1% ± 13.5%) than the other conditions (PLA: -12.6% ± 10.1%; 2DAY: -11.6% ± 11.5%; p = .038). Two days of supplementation did not influence performance or physiological stress. Although 4 days of supplementation did not alter performance, it blunted the increase in blood lactate, perhaps reflecting altered lactate production and/or clearance, and offset the decrease in dynamic muscle function post-TT, as indicated by the reactive strength index differences.

Research has shown that diets rich in phenolic compounds may be associated with lower risks of several chronic diseases including cancer. This study systematically evaluated the bioactivities of phenolic compounds in rabbiteye blueberries and assessed their potential antiproliferation and apoptosis induction effects using two colon cancer cell lines, HT-29 and Caco-2. Polyphenols in three blueberry cultivars, Briteblue, Tifblue, and Powderblue, were extracted and freeze-dried. The extracts were further separated into phenolic acids, tannins, flavonols, and anthocyanins using an HLB cartridge and LH20 column. Some individual phenolic acids and flavonoids were identified by HPLC with >90% purity in anthocyanin fractions. The dried extracts and fractions were added to the cell culture medium to test for antiproliferation activities and induction of apoptosis. Flavonol and tannin fractions resulted in 50% inhibition of cell proliferation at concentrations of 70-100 and 50-100 microg/mL in HT-29 and Caco-2 cells, respectively. The phenolic acid fraction showed relatively lower bioactivities with 50% inhibition at approximately 1000 microg/mL. The greatest antiproliferation effect among all four fractions was from the anthocyanin fractions. Both HT-29 and Caco-2 cell growth was significantly inhibited by >50% by the anthocyanin fractions at concentrations of 15-50 microg/mL. Anthocyanin fractions also resulted in 2-7 times increases in DNA fragmentation, indicating the induction of apoptosis. The effective dosage levels are close to the reported range of anthocyanin concentrations in rat plasma. These findings suggest that blueberry intake may reduce colon cancer risk.

Dietary restriction (DR) extends lifespan across multiple species including mouse. Antioxidant plant extracts rich in polyphenols have also been shown to increase lifespan. We hypothesized that polyphenols might potentiate DR-induced lifespan extension. Twenty week old C57BL/6 mice were placed on one of three diets: continuous feeding (control), alternate day chow (Intermittent fed, IF), or IF supplemented with polyphenol antioxidants (PAO) from blueberry, pomegranate, and green tea extracts (IF+PAO). Both IF and IF+PAO groups outlived the control group and the IF+PAO group outlived the IF group (all p<0.001). In the brain, IF induced the expression of inflammatory genes and p38 MAPK phosphorylation, while the addition of PAO reduced brain inflammatory gene expression and p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Our data indicate that while IF overall promotes longevity, some aspects of IF-induced stress may paradoxically lessen this effect. Polyphenol compounds, in turn, may potentiate IF-induced longevity by minimizing specific components of IF-induced cell stress.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether nutritional intervention with a proprietary formulation and other micronutrients may favourably alter skin roughness and elasticity. METHODS: Sixty-two women aged 45-73 years participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial testing the efficacy of a proprietary oral supplement for skin nutrition (Evelle), for improvement of skin elasticity and roughness. The active ingredients were vitamins C and E, carotenoids, selenium, zinc, amino acids and glycosaminoglycans, blueberry extract and Pycnogenol. RESULTS: Skin elasticity, measured using an optical cutometer, was found to be statistically significantly increased by 9% after 6 weeks of treatment compared with placebo (p=0.0351). Skin roughness, as evaluated by three-dimensional microtopography imaging, was found to be statistically significantly lowered by 6% compared with the control group after 12 weeks treatment (p=0.0157). CONCLUSION: Evelle can potentially improve visible signs of cutaneous ageing.