Welch's: Drinking polyphenol-rich Concord grape juice may improve memory in older adults

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Public release date: 2-Jun-2008

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-06/w-dpc060208.php

Contact: Darlene Hollywood

darlene@...

Welch's

Drinking polyphenol-rich Concord grape juice may improve memory in older

adults

Pilot study showed improved memory skills in older adults with early

memory decline

CONCORD, MASS., June 2, 2008 — As America's baby boomers continue to

age, the number of people 65 years of age and older is expected to

double to 70 million by 2030.¹ As such, age-related cognitive decline

and incidence of chronic conditions, including Alzheimer's, heart

disease, diabetes and cancer, is on the rise. Research supports that

good nutrition – particularly a diet including phytonutrient-rich

fruits, vegetables and their juices – plays an important role in the

aging process and may help slow and possibly even reverse age-related

physical and mental declines.

Results from a recent pilot human study suggest that including Concord

grape juice in the diet may provide benefit for older adults with early

memory decline. This study represents the first placebo-controlled human

study to investigate whether regular consumption of a polyphenol-rich

food or beverage could have beneficial effects against age-related

cognitive decline.

The results were presented at the 38th annual scientific meeting of the

American Aging Society in Boulder, Colo., May 30-June 2, 2008. The

study, led by Krikorian, PhD, Department of Psychiatry,

University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, included 12 adults with

early memory decline. Participants drank a total of 15 to 21 ounces,

depending on body weight, of either Concord grape juice or placebo

daily, divided among meals, for a 12-week period. The beverages were

equal in calorie and sugar content but only the Concord grape juice

contained natural polyphenolic compounds, which have antioxidant and

anti-inflammatory properties. Participants who drank the Concord grape

juice showed significant improvement in list learning and trends

suggested improved short-term retention and spatial memory.

According to Dr. Krikorian, " These results with Concord grape juice are

very encouraging and certainly warrant additional study. A simple,

easy-to-incorporate dietary intervention that could improve or protect

memory function, such as drinking Concord grape juice daily, may be

beneficial for the aging population. "

Study collaborators included Nash and Marcelle Shidler from the

University of Cincinnati as well as ph and Barbara

Shukitt-Hale from the USDA-ARS Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging

at Tufts University. ph and Shukitt-Hale's ground-breaking animal

research has previously shown that supplementation of certain

polyphenol-rich fruits and vegetables resulted in improved cognitive

function in animal models. In fact, this human study was a natural next

step based on their 2006 publication in Nutrition where they reported

that polyphenol-rich Concord grape juice supplementation in the diet of

aged rats resulted in beneficial effects on memory and cognitive function.²

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Welch Foods, Inc. is committed to supporting independent research

exploring the role of Concord grape juice in a healthy lifestyle and

provided support for the University of Cincinnati study.

¹Keeping up with older adults. In: Population profile of the United

States: 2000 (Internet release). Washington (DC): U.S. Census Bureau;

2000. Available from:

http://www.census.gov/population/pop-profile/2000/chap18.pdf (accessed

December 2, 2007).

² Shukitt-Hale B, Carey A, Simon L, Mark DA and ph JA. Effects of

Concord grape juice on cognitive and motor deficits in aging. Nutrition.

2006. 22(3):295-302.

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ne Holden, MS, RD

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