Blueberry consumption enhances vascular function but not cognitive abilities in healthy individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis
He Y, Yang J, Zhang S, Mai J, Li M
Nutrition research (New York, N.Y.) · 0 citations
How it was studied
- Design
- Meta-analysis (indexed by PubMed)
- Studied in
- People
- Main outcome
- Health markers and function
- Intake measured by
- Not stated
Who paid for it
- Funding
- Independent funding
- Government
- National Natural Science Foundation of China
- Government
- National Key Research and Development Program of China
- Grants
- National Key Research and Development Program of China (2023YFF1104203); National Natural Science Foundation of China (32472339)
Based on 2 listed funder(s).
Publication
- Published
- 2026-03-24 · Nutr Res · vol. 149 · pp. 162–177
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Cited
- 1 citation · more than 89% of similar papers · 3.2× the field average
- References
- 53 works
- Access
- Paywalled
- Research areas
- Phytochemicals and Antioxidant Activities · Neurological Disease Mechanisms and Treatments · Ginkgo biloba and Cashew Applications
- Keywords
- Mood, Cognition, Randomized controlled trial, Generalizability theory, Blood pressure, Effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance, Intervention (counseling)
- MeSH
- endothelium, vascular, humans, fruit, diet, affect, cognition, blood pressure, vasodilation, randomized controlled trials as topic, executive function, blueberry plants, vascular health
5 authors
From CN
- Yu HeSouth China Agricultural University
- Jing YangSecond Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University; Guangzhou Medical University
- Shuzhen ZhangSouth China Agricultural University
- Junfan MaiSouth China Agricultural University
- Meiying Li · correspondingSouth China Agricultural University
Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of blueberry consumption on vascular and cognitive functions in healthy individuals. We hypothesized that blueberry consumption would improve vascular function and cognitive performance, so we analyzed 14 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 632 participants. Results indicated that blueberry intervention significantly improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) by 1.11% (95% CI: 0.50, 1.72; I² = 23%), suggesting a positive impact on vascular health. However, there were no significant changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) (reduction of 0.11 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.82, 2.60; I² = 0%) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (reduction of 0.46 mmHg; 95% CI: -2.80, 1.87; I² = 0%). Cognitive outcomes showed no significant effect executive function (SMD: 0.21; 95% CI: -0.05, 0.46; I² = 42%) or mood (MD: 1.67; 95% CI: -1.35, 4.69; I² = 10%). The findings suggest that blueberries may enhance vascular function, but their impact on cognitive performance remains inconclusive. Limitations include heterogeneity in blueberry dosage, type, intervention duration, and participant age, which may affect the generalizability of the results. Future research should prioritize larger, well-designed randomized controlled trials with standardized protocols to confirm these findings and explore the mechanisms underlying the potential benefits of blueberries on vascular and cognitive health. This study provides preliminary evidence supporting the inclusion of blueberries in dietary strategies for cardiovascular health, while highlighting the need for further investigation into their cognitive effects.
Abstract via Europe PMC. Copyright remains with the authors or publisher.
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