Study unlocks cholesterol-lowering activity of blueberry
The potential cardiovascular benefits of blueberry may be related to the berries’ anthocyanins interacting with bile acids to promote cholesterol reduction, suggests data from a study with hamsters.
Dietary supplementation with 0.5 and 1% blueberry anthocyanins was associated with 37 and 66% increases in bile acid excretion, according to data published in the European Journal of Nutrition.
Researchers from The Chinese University of Hong Kong also proposed a second mechanism involving an effect on gene expression linked to enhanced excretion of sterols, with sterol excretion increased by between 24 and 30%.
The doses used in this study were equivalent to 2,500 mg of anthocyanins in a 2,000 calorie diet, which is above the 900–1,800 mg per 2,000 calories doses recommended by supplement manufacturers, said the researchers.
“In this regard, the concentration of blueberry anthocyanins used in the present study could achieve its cholesterol-lowering activity under the normal physiological conditions in humans if the data could be extrapolated to humans,†they wrote.
“In addition, such high doses used in the present study had an advantage because it could maximize the biological activity of blueberry anthocyanins so that the underlying mechanisms could be thoroughly investigated.â€
If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Comments
No comments yet.
Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.