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Blueberry and cardiovascular disease risk factors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled
Mayam Miraghajani1, Somayeh Momenyan2, Arman Arab3
1Cancer Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; The Early Life Research Unit, Academic Division of Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Nottingham Digestive Disease Centre and Biomedical Research Centre, The School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
Insights
Blueberry supplements show no significant impact on cardiovascular disease risk factors, though subgroup analysis suggests potential benefits for weight loss. More research is needed to confirm these findings.
Area of Science:
- Nutrition Science
- Cardiovascular Health
- Dietary Supplements
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity.
- Healthy foods, including blueberries, can help prevent CVD.
- Blueberries are rich in functional ingredients with potential health benefits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the effects of blueberry supplementation on cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk indices.
- To synthesize current evidence on blueberry's impact on CVD risk factors.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature search of major databases (PubMed, Scopus, etc.) up to March 2020.
- Inclusion of all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating blueberry supplements for CVD risk modification.
- Meta-analysis using a random effects model to pool effect sizes.
Main Results:
- Blueberry supplementation had a small, insignificant effect on reducing plasma triglycerides (MD = -0.27 mmol/l, p = 0.06).
- No significant differences were observed for other CVD risk factors between blueberry and control groups.
- Subgroup analysis indicated a favorable impact on body weight reduction in studies with longer follow-up (>6 weeks) or using specific blueberry forms (powder, freeze-dried).
Conclusions:
- Current evidence is insufficient to support blueberry supplements for modifying CVD risk factors in general adult populations.
- Larger, robust studies are required to definitively assess the potential cardiovascular benefits of blueberries.
Background And Aims:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains an important cause of mortality and morbidity that can be prevented by the consumption of healthy foods. These include blueberry, a dark coloured berry containing extremely high amounts of functional ingredients. We therefore examined the extent to which supplementation with blueberry effects on CVD risk indices.
Methods:
We searched the ISI Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and Cochrane Library on March 2020 and checked reference lists from primary studies and review articles for any additional studies. No language restrictions were applied. All randomized and controlled clinical trials (RCTs) using blueberry supplements to modify CVD risk factors were included in our analysis.
Results:
Mean Difference (MD) was pooled using a random effects model and 11 studies were included in the final analysis. Pooled effect size showed that supplementation with blueberry had a small insignificant effect in reducing plasma triglycerides (MD = -0.27 mmol/l; 95 % CI: -0.57, 0.17, p = 0.06). Although current study found no differences between blueberry and control groups for any other outcomes, subgroup analysis suggested a favourable impact of blueberry on reducing body weight. Significant weight loss was indicated from studies longer with a follow up of more than 6 weeks or with blueberry powder or freeze-dried blueberry.
Conclusion:
Current evidence is insufficient to show a benefit of blueberry supplements in modifying CVD risk factors across a variety of adult populations. Robust data and larger studies are required to assess potential effects.
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