ArticleGenes & nutrition2021
An 8-week freeze-dried blueberry supplement impacts immune-related pathways: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial.
Article in Genes & nutrition, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03266055 (Prebiotic Effects of Blueberry in Overweight/Obese Individuals), which is not on this map. Cited by 9 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Prebiotic Effects of Blueberry in Overweight/Obese Individuals: Potential Role of the Gut Microbiota in Alleviating the Metabolic Syndrome.
Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 15 citations in OpenAlex.
- Dietary intakes of anthocyanins and cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials and prospective cohort studies in healthy participants.The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Effect of blueberry intervention on endothelial function: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in physiology · 2024Pooled it
- Biomarkers of Berry Intake: Systematic Review Update.Journal of agricultural and food chemistry · 2023Pooled it
- Effect of blueberry consumption on regulatory lymphocyte phenotypes and NK cell functional activity in middle-aged and older adults with overweight or obesity: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in immunology · 2026Trial
- Fecal deoxycholic acid associates with diet, intestinal microbes, and total bilirubin in primary sclerosing cholangitis.JHEP reports : innovation in hepatology · 2024Article
- Impact of thermal processing on polyphenols, carotenoids, glucosinolates, and ascorbic acid in fruit and vegetables and their cardiovascular benefits.Comprehensive reviews in food science and food safety · 2024Review
- Phenolic Compounds from Cherries and Berries for Chronic Disease Management and Cardiovascular Risk Reduction.Nutrients · 2024Review
- Impact of Blueberry Consumption on the Human Fecal Bileacidome: A Pilot Study of Bile Acid Modulation by Freeze-Dried Blueberry.Nutrients · 2022Article
- Fruit and Vegetable Supplemented Diet Modulates the Pig Transcriptome and Microbiome after a Two-Week Feeding Intervention.Nutrients · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
13 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBlueberries contain high levels of polyphenolic compounds with high in vitro antioxidant capacities. Their consumption has been associated with improved vascular and metabolic health. PURPOSE: The objective was to examine the effects of blueberry supplement consumption on metabolic syndrome (MetS) parameters and potential underlying mechanisms of action.
methodsA randomized double-blind placebo-controlled intervention trial was conducted in adults at risk of developing MetS. Participants consumed 50 g daily of either a freeze-dried highbush blueberry powder (BBP) or a placebo powder for 8 weeks (n = 49). MetS phenotypes were assessed at weeks 0, 4 and 8. Fasting blood gene expression profiles and plasma metabolomic profiles were examined at baseline and week 8 to assess metabolic changes occurring in response to the BBP. A per-protocol analysis was used.
resultsA significant treatment effect was observed for plasma triglyceride levels that was no longer significant after further adjustments for age, sex, BMI and baseline values. In addition, the treatment*time interactions were non-significant therefore suggesting that compared with the placebo, BBP had no statistically significant effect on body weight, blood pressure, fasting plasma lipid, insulin and glucose levels, insulin resistance (or sensitivity) or glycated hemoglobin concentrations. There were significant changes in the expression of 49 genes and in the abundance of 35 metabolites following BBP consumption. Differentially regulated genes were clustered in immune-related pathways.
conclusionAn 8-week BBP intervention did not significantly improve traditional markers of cardiometabolic health in adults at risk of developing MetS. However, changes in gene expression and metabolite abundance suggest that clinically significant cardiometabolic changes could take longer than 8 weeks to present and/or could result from whole blueberry consumption or a higher dosage. BBP may also have an effect on factors such as immunity even within a shorter 8-week timeframe. CLINICAL
trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov, NCT03266055 , 2017.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.