The Effect of Blueberry Supplementation on Cognitive Functioning in Older Adults

NCT07170943 | Withdrawn

• 1 other identifier: NL77025.091.21
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: N/A
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

In this randomized placebo controlled intervention study, the effect of 12 weeks of supplementation with either 150g whole blueberries, freeze-dried blueberry powder (dose equivalent to 150g berries) versus placebo on cognitive functioning will be investigated in older adults.

Conditions

Cognitive Decline; Cognition Disorders in Old Age; Aging

Keywords

Cognition; Blueberry; Anthocyanins; Ageing

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Verbal fluency

  Performance on verbal fluency

  12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (20)

• Cognitive functioning

  12 weeks

• Cognitive function

  12 weeks

• Cognition

  12 weeks

• Cognition

  12 weeks

• Cognition

  12 weeks

Study Arms (3)

Whole blueberries

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will consume a daily dose of 150g of whole blueberries

Other: Blueberry

Freeze-dried blueberry powder

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will consume a daily dose of 24g freeze-dried blueberry powder, equivalent to 150g whole blueberries

Dietary Supplement: Freeze-dried blueberry powder

Placebo powder

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants will consume a daily dose of 24g colour- and flavour-matched maltodextrin powder

Dietary Supplement: Placebo powder

Interventions

Blueberry OTHER

Daily consumption of blueberries

Whole blueberries

Freeze-dried blueberry powder DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Daily consumption of a freeze-dried blueberry powder

Freeze-dried blueberry powder

Placebo powder DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Daily consumption of a placebo powder

Placebo powder

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 65 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age ≥65y
• Overweight, body mass index ≥25 kg/m2
• Mild memory complaints, i.e. ≥22 points on the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ) and reporting to have memory complaints and being hampered by these complaints
• No mild cognitive impairment, i.e. ≥26 points on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)
• Able to understand and perform the study procedures

You may not qualify if:

• Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥35 kg/m2
• Current use of \>500 mg/day of acetylsalicylic acid
• Current use of antidepressants
• Current use of medication that affects inflammation (anti-inflammatory medication)
• Current or recent (\<1 month) use of berry supplements
• Current or recent (\<1 month) use of anti-inflammatory dietary supplements such as fish oil, quercetin, curcumin, resveratrol, and/or other flavonoids
• Current or recent (\<3 month) use of antibiotics.
• Berry consumption of more than 1 serving (150g) per week
• Not willing to quit anthocyanin-rich product consumption during the study period
• Allergy to berries/salicylates
• Having a current disease which interferes with the effect of berries/ freeze-dried berry powder and/or with the outcome measure (cognitive functioning), including diagnosis of dementia, psychiatric disorders, gastro-intestinal disease, diabetes, and cancer, as judged by a medical doctor
• Excessive alcohol consumption (on average \>21 glasses/week for men and \>14 glasses/week for women)
• Current participation in other scientific research

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Wageningen University: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Cognitive Dysfunction

Interventions

blueberry extract

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Cognition Disorders; Neurocognitive Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Lisette de Groot, prof

  Division of Human Nutrition and Health, Wageningen University and Research, The Netherlands

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: TRIPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Treatment is only partly masked for the participants; blueberry freeze-dried powder and placebo treatments are masked, but whole berry treatment is not.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Dr.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: August 26, 2021
• First Posted: September 12, 2025
• Study Start: November 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: October 1, 2022
• Study Completion: October 1, 2022
• Last Updated: September 12, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Time Frame: Starting 12 months after article publication.
• Access Criteria: Upon reasonable request. Sharing will be done in consultation with the study team