Elderly May Benefit From Blueberries

A secret of youth may be as close as a nearby farm or the supermarket shelf: 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, coauthor of 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 extracts 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 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 that antioxidants can actually reverse age-related declines, they said.