Cincinnati, OH—Research published in the March issue of British Journal of Nutrition indicates that Concord grape juice may help support healthy brain function in older adults. Data presented in a double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot investigation suggest such findings.

The trial, which was led by Robert Krikorian of the department of psychiatry, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, involved 12 adults who were experiencing early memory decline. 

 During the study, these adults were randomly assigned to take either 100% Concord grape juice or a calorie-matched placebo beverage for 12 weeks. Study participants also were given tests to gauge memory level at regular intervals during the testing period. And, each subject was rated based on verbal and spatial memory before and after the study. It was illustrated that those who consumed Concord grape juice demonstrated significant improvement in list learning (p = 0.04) and data also suggested augmented list retention (p = 0.10) and spatial memory (p = 0.12). 

Krikorian stated, “Our preliminary findings suggest that supplementing the diet with Concord grape juice may provide benefit for older adults with early memory changes.” He noted, that although further tests are needed to assess the potential of Concord grape juice to forestall the progression of age-related memory decline, these results are encouraging. Data were presented on December 8th, 2009, at the 4th International Conference on Polyphenols and Health in Harrogate, United Kingdom.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, May 2010