Written by Chrystal Moulton, Staff Writer. 24-week supplementation with 90 mg Aronia melanocarpa resulted in significantly improved psychomotor functioning (p= 0.009). Supplementation of 150 mg Aronia melanocarpa showed no further increase in psychomotor skills but significant improvements in diastolic blood pressure were noted.
Anthocyanins are a subgroup of polyphenols capable of suppressing inflammation in the brain and reducing oxidative stress 1,2. These compounds are generally found in berries, especially in black chokeberries (Aronia melanocarpa) where high concentrations of cyanidin-3-glycoside anthocyanins can be found. Although research demonstrates the benefits of anthocyanins on cognition 2,3, investigational studies on the effect of Aronia extracts on cognition and mechanism of action are still lacking. In the current study, researchers investigated the effect of Aronia melanocarpa extract on cognitive performance and mood in healthy middle-aged adults 4.
In a randomized double-blind placebo controlled parallel study, 102 participants aged 40-60 years were assigned to receive either 90mg Aronia melanocarpa, 150mg Aronia melanocarpa, or placebo. The Aronia melanocarpa treatment was a proprietary blend containing 16mg anthocyanins and 27mg anthocyanins for the 90mg and 150mg Aronia melanocarpa, respectively. Participants were healthy adults with a BMI between 25-35 kg/m2 and no cardiovascular or chronic diseases and no habit of smoking and/or alcohol abuse. Participants were provided a list of foods high in anthocyanin content to abstain from during the trial period. Cognitive tests, blood sample, ultrasound of carotid artery, mood questionnaires and body measurements were taken at baseline and at 6, 12, and 24 weeks after treatment. Three cognitive tests were given: Stroop color and word test (to assess flexibility), the grooved pegboard test (to assess speed), and the number cross-out test (to assess attention).
Ninety-seven participants completed the trial. Baseline measurements were similar in all groups. In the grooved pegboard test assessing psychomotor speed, scores significantly improved in the 90mg Aronia melanocarpa extract group compared to placebo (p= 0.009). No significant differences were observed in the 150mg Aronia melanocarpa extract group versus 90mg Aronia melanocarpa or placebo. No significant interactions were observed for cognitive flexibility, mood, attention, or serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor. However, an overall effect of time was observed in the cognitive flexibility test [p<0.05], attention test [p<0.05], and grooved pegboard test (psychomotor speed test) [p<0.05]. Significant improvement in diastolic blood pressure was observed in the 150mg Aronia melanocarpa group but not in the 90mg Aronia melanocarpa group or placebo (decreased by 2.44mmHg, p= 0.011).
Twenty-four week supplementation with 150mg Aronia melanocarpa extract versus 90mg Aronia melanocarpa significantly lowered diastolic blood pressure but had no significant affect on cognition (attention, psychomotor speed, flexibility) or mood. However, 90mg Aronia melanocarpa supplementation was significantly associated with improved psychomotor speed with no significant effect on attention, flexibility, or mood. Further studies will be needed to assess the effects of Aronia melanocarpa extract on cognition.
Source: Ahles, Sanne, Yala R. Stevens, Peter J. Joris, David Vauzour, Jos Adam, Eric De Groot, and Jogchum Plat. “The effect of long-term Aronia melanocarpa extract supplementation on cognitive performance, mood, and vascular function: a randomized controlled trial in healthy, middle-aged individuals.” Nutrients 12, no. 8 (2020): 2475.
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Posted April 12, 2022.
Chrystal Moulton BA, PMP, is a 2008 graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago. She graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology with a focus on premedical studies and is a licensed project manager. She currently resides in Indianapolis, IN.
References:
- Zhang J, Wu J, Liu F, et al. Neuroprotective effects of anthocyanins and its major component cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) in the central nervous system: An outlined review. Eur J Pharmacol. Sep 5 2019;858:172500. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2019.172500
- Jurikova T, Mlcek J, Skrovankova S, et al. Fruits of Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa in the Prevention of Chronic Diseases. Molecules. Jun 7 2017;22(6)doi:10.3390/molecules22060944
- Kent K, Charlton KE, Netzel M, Fanning K. Food-based anthocyanin intake and cognitive outcomes in human intervention trials: a systematic review. Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association. Jun 2017;30(3):260-274. doi:10.1111/jhn.12431
- Ahles S, Stevens YR, Joris PJ, et al. The Effect of Long-Term Aronia melanocarpa Extract Supplementation on Cognitive Performance, Mood, and Vascular Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Healthy, Middle-Aged Individuals. Nutrients. Aug 17 2020;12(8)doi:10.3390/nu12082475
