Wild blueberry may have role in anti-aging

New research from the US National Institute on Aging demonstrates that natural compounds available in wild blueberries increased lifespan and slowed aging-related declines in a whole organism. Working with elegans, an invertebrate model of microscopic-sized worms in a family called nematodes, the study examined the effects of wild blueberry polyphenols on lifespan and aging.

According to the study published by Mark Wilson, and collaborators, "this is a significant finding that lends support to previous experiments on cultured cells or short-term rodent studies showing beneficial effects in aging-related declines and stress resistance...and thus represents a significant advance in the study of the biological effects of natural compounds." Nematodes represent a common in vivo model for studying aging and longevity. Certain aspects of aging are similar between nematodes and mammals, including humans. There is evidence that wild blueberry compounds may impact cell signaling and gene expression working beyond their direct antioxidant effect by reducing stress signals. Cellular stress and inflammation are related to many diseases of aging including heart disease, cancer anneurodegenerative diseases.

Researcher collaborators include Catherine Wolkow, who was the principal investigator of the study, Donald Ingram from the NIA, James Joseph and Barbara Shukitt-Hale of the US Department of Agriculture Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and Wilhelmina Kalt of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.