Increased stress can impair brain function and raise blood pressure.  Polyphenols from grapes have received attention for improving brain function and blood pressure.  In this study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the possible benefits of Concord grape juice were tested to determine if benefits to brain function could be observed.

Twenty five working mothers with pre-teen children who self-reported as experiencing a demanding and stressful lifestyle were enrolled in the study. In this study the women received 12 ounces of grape juice with or without 777 mg of polyphenols for 12 weeks. After 12 weeks of juice consumption a series of tests undertaken to determine if there were any benefits to brain function.

Here were some of the benefits reported in the results section:

• Verbal memory recall improved
• Improvements in ‘executive function’  (i.e. a set of skills that help you complete a task including driving)
• Psychomotor skills improved (i.e. tested by a pegboard puzzle)

Take away message: At the end of the 12 week study significant improvements in memory, psychomotor skills, and ability to complete tasks was improved when 12 ounces of grape juice were consumed. A potential downside of this drink is that each juice contained 54 grams of sugar; a can of coca cola has about 37 grams of sugar. More pertinent to our understanding is that each juice contained 777 mg of polyphenols, about the equivalent of 1.5 capsules. Another observation by the researchers was that the benefit to brain function was observed 4 weeks after juice consumption was stopped. This might suggest juice could be consumed periodically for brain function benefits that were observed in this study.

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2016 March; Volume 103 (Issue 3): pages 775-83.

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Jeremy Johnson, PharmD, PhD

Dr. Johnson is a tenured associate Professor and licensed Pharmacist at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy.

His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.

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Categories: Antioxidant, Brain, Clinical Trials