Regularly Eat Blueberries to Reduce the Risk of Late-Life Dementia!

“We had observed cognitive benefits with blueberries in prior studies with older adults and thought they might be effective in younger individuals with insulin resistance,” explained Robert Krikorian, professor emeritus and director of the division of psychology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience. “Alzheimer’s disease, like all chronic diseases of aging, develops over a period of many years beginning in midlife.”

Photo: YouTube/The Study Finds Guy

Dementia is one of the deepest fears of people who are getting old. Middle-aged and prediabetic people are at a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease or some other forms of dementia.

But there’s a fruit that can reduce the risk, and maybe even prevent, dementia. Blueberries.

Yes, the Luscious Color of Blueberries Is an Excellent Source of Brainpower

Remember what nutrition experts often say? Eat your colors!

In our fight against dementia, which includes Alzheimer’s, eating blueberries on a regular basis may help in the risk reduction and even prevention of this dreadful disease.

Photo: YouTube/The Study Finds Guy

The secret of this fruit’s potency? None other than its luscious color.

According to Krikorian, blueberries contain an especially high level of micronutrients and anthocyanins, a powerful antioxidant. Anthocyanins are colored pigments that help give certain fruits and vegetables their red, blue, and purple colors. In blueberries, anthocyanins provide added protection against infectious agents, excessive radiation exposure, and other threats.

Photo: YouTube/The Study Finds Guy

The antioxidative and antimicrobial properties of anthocyanins hugely benefit humans, as well. They help in improving visual and neurological health, aside from protecting people from various non-communicable illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.

Blueberries Can Help Middle-Aged People Fight Late-Life Dementia

Krikorian’s team has long been studying the positive effects of blueberries on older people. But this time, they opted to focus on the middle-aged population, since it is at this stage that prediabetes usually occurs, which raises the risk of chronic diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Photo: YouTube/The Study Finds Guy

Their team selected patients between the ages of 50-65 years who were overweight and prediabetic with mild memory decline due to aging. The results showed significant improvement in cognitive abilities, metabolic function, and reduced oxidative stress.

The study gives hope to people in mid-life on how they can lower their risk of cognitive decline and other diseases as they get older. But Krikorian also recommends larger studies to fully determine the mechanisms behind the extraordinary power of blueberries in fighting late-life dementia.

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