Food anthocyanins decrease concentrations of TNF-α in older adults with mild cognitive impairment: A randomized,...

Area of Science:

• Nutrition Science
• Gerontology
• Immunology

Background:

• Vascular function, blood pressure, and inflammation are key in chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
• Investigating dietary interventions like anthocyanins can offer insights into managing these conditions in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the impact of food anthocyanins on microvascular function, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (ABP), and inflammatory biomarkers in elderly individuals diagnosed with MCI.
• To determine if varying doses of anthocyanins influence these physiological markers.

Main Methods:

• A randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial involving 31 participants with MCI.
• Participants consumed 250 mL of fruit juice daily for 8 weeks, divided into high-dose anthocyanins (201 mg), low-dose anthocyanins (47 mg), or a control group.
• Microvascular function, 24-hour ABP, and serum inflammatory biomarkers were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• The high anthocyanins group showed a significant reduction in serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) compared to control and low-dose groups (P=0.002).
• No significant changes were observed in other inflammatory markers (IL-6, IL-1β, c-reactive protein), microvascular function, or 24-hour ABP across any treatment groups.

Conclusions:

• An 8-week daily high-dose anthocyanin intervention effectively reduced TNF-α levels in older adults with MCI.
• Anthocyanins did not impact other inflammatory markers, microvascular function, or blood pressure.
• Larger, longer-term studies are needed to confirm if reduced TNF-α influences CVD risk or cognitive decline progression.