Wild Blueberry Improves Digestive Health

by | Aug 19, 2016 | 2013, Celiac Disease, Digestive Health, Fruits and Vegetables

Written by Greg Arnold, DC, CSCS. Wild blueberry supplementation significantly improved levels of Bifidobaceterium longum subspecies infantis by 8.4% in the digestive tracts of the  study participants compared to the control group.

blueberriesOur digestive tract is a cornerstone of our immune system. Bacteria populate our intestines and can either make us healthy or sick 1, with one bacteria species known to make us healthier being bifidobacteria 2. Bifidobacteria are among the very first colonizers of the human intestine immediately after birth and “play a key role” in the maturation of our immune system 3. Reduction of this bacteria in our digestive tract as we age can increase our susceptibility to infections and improper bowel functionality 4.

Our diet is a very important indicator of the bacterial makeup of our digestive tract 5, so finding foods that can increase the levels of bifidobacteria is very important. One such food may be wild blueberry. A 2013 study 6 involved 15 healthy males aged 37 to 55 with at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease as defined by the American Heart Association 7. They consumed either 250 milliliters of a drink containing 25 grams of freeze-dried wild blueberry (11 males) or a placebo (5 males) every day for 6 weeks. After a 6-week washout period, the subjects then switched to the other option for another 6 weeks. The wild blueberry drink has been used in previous research 8 and is estimated to equal 1 cup of raw fruits (148 grams), providing approximately 375 milligrams of antioxidants called anthocyanins.

For the duration of the experiment, volunteers were instructed to maintain their normal dietary and lifestyle habits, to abstain from foods containing anthocyanins (a list of anthocyanin-rich foods was provided). Before and after each supplement period, stool samples were obtained to measure bifidobacteria levels.

The researchers noted a significant benefit of wild blueberry supplementation on bifidobacteria contact in their digestive tract. Specifically, 6 weeks of wild blueberry supplementation increased levels of Bifidobaceterium longum subspecies infantis by 6.7% (5.9 to 6.3 log10 cells per gram) compared to a 1.7% decrease in the placebo group (6.0 to 5.9 log10 cells per gram, p < 0.05). No statistically significant increases were seen in other bifidobacteria types (p > 0.25).

The researchers pointed out the numerous health benefits associated with increases in Bifidobaceterium longum subspecies infantis, specifically in helping maintain healthy levels of inflammation 9, preventing viral infection 10, lessening the harms of Salmonella infection 11, and improving overall digestive symptoms 12, even in those with celiac disease 13. All of this led the researchers to state that “an increase of the cell concentration of this group of bacteria in the human gut could be quite univocally considered a potential health benefit”.  This health benefit is due to wild blueberries containing dietary compounds called “prebiotics” that are food for bacteria and are defined as “a non-viable food component that confers a health benefit on the host associated with modulation of the microbiota” 14.

For the researchers, “we suggest blueberries as a source of prebiotic molecules (possibly, fibers and anthocyanins) that can selectively increase certain populations of bifidobacteria with demonstrated health-promoting properties.”

Source: Guglielmetti S. Differential modulation of human intestinal bifidobacterium populations after consumption of a wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) drink. J Agric Food Chem 2013 Aug 28;61(34):8134-40. doi: 10.1021/jf402495k. Epub 2013 Aug 19

© 2013 American Chemical Society

Posted August 18, 2016.

Greg Arnold is a Chiropractic Physician practicing in Hauppauge, NY.  You can contact Dr. Arnold directly by emailing him at PitchingDoc@msn.com or visiting his web site at www.PitchingDoc.com.

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