Blueberry Study Finds 3-Month Mood Gains in 18 Older Adults as Gut Enzymes Shift
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Oct 18
Blueberry Study Finds 3-Month Mood Gains in 18 Older Adults as Gut Enzymes Shift
1 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Oct 18
Summary
Eighteen adults 65 and older who took 48 grams of blueberry powder daily for three months showed larger, more consistent drops in depressive symptoms than the placebo group.
The mood difference did not reach statistical significance, but researchers did find significant shifts in several gut microbial enzyme-related genes within the blueberry group.
One altered enzyme—polyamine transporting ATPase—is linked to production of GABA, a neurotransmitter involved in brain signaling, pointing to a possible gut-brain pathway rather than broad microbiome changes.
Overall microbial species, metabolic pathways and short-chain fatty acid metabolites stayed unchanged, underscoring that the pilot trial was small and preliminary.
The randomized, double-blind study, published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging, suggests blueberries may affect microbial function in older adults, but larger trials are needed to test whether that translates into meaningful depression relief.