Can Acai Make You Smarter?

Dr. Shawn Talbott (Ph.D., CNS, LDN, FACSM, FACN, FAIS) has gone from triathlon struggler to gut-brain guru! With a Ph.D. in Nutritional Biochemistry, he's on a mission to boost everyday human performance through the power of natural solutions and the gut-brain axis.

Just a few days ago at the annual scientific meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, researchers from the Aging Research Center at Tufts University presented a new study showing that acai can slow the aging process and actually reverse the effects of again on the brain.

 

 

Previous studies of older humans and older animals have shown reduced coordination, balance, and mental/cognitive function. Most researchers believe that these age-related changes in brain function and motor skills are due in large part to both oxidative and inflammatory stress. Research over the last decade has shown convincingly that polyphenol/flavonoid compounds from fruits and vegetables have potent antioxidant/anti-inflammatory effects that can reduce and even reverse age-related damage through a variety of cell-signaling and cellular “cleanup” processes in the brain (such as improved autophagy).

 

In this most recent study, aged rats were fed either a typical diet or one supplemented with 2% acai for 6-7 weeks. Note = this amount of acai is roughly equivalent to a little less than ¼ cup (2 ounces) of acai per day in a human diet – so these results showing improvements in balance, coordination, muscle strength, and memory are very likely to be seen in humans undergoing the process of aging (which is all of us).

 

The rats that received acai in their diets were able to reverse age-related brain deficits in motor function (coordination/balance) and cognitive function (memory). For you and I, these results indicate that daily consumption of acai (2-4 ounces daily of acai juice), with its high level of flavonoids, can help us to “maintain our brains” in ways that may increase our “health span” and significantly slow the aging process. Whether consistent acai consumption can go even further – and actually prevent the onset of debilitating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and senile dementia – remains to be seen in future studies, but the existing research evidence is good enough for me to be drinking my acai every day.

 

Here is the full abstract from the Society for Neuroscience:

 

Acai fruit improves motor and cognitive function in aged rats

 

B. SHUKITT-HALE, A. N. CAREY, M. G. MILLER, S. M. POULOSE;

USDA, ARS, Human Nutrit Res. Ctr. On Aging, BOSTON, MA

 

Aged rats show impaired performance on motor and cognitive tasks that require the use of spatial learning and memory. In previous studies, we have shown the beneficial effects of various berry fruits (blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries) in reversing age-related deficits in behavioral and neuronal function when fed to rats from 19-21 months of age. These effects may be the result of increasing antioxidant and/or anti-inflammatory levels, or by direct effects on signaling and autophagy, in the brain. Acai is a black-purple fruit (genus Euterpe) cultivated in the Amazon delta and in Brazil (Euterpe oleracea Mart. -EO), as well as southern Central America and Columbia (Euterpe precatoria Mart. – EP), and it is known to be rich in polyphenolics that may affect cell-to-cell signaling, receptor sensitivity, inflammatory enzyme activity or gene regulation. Thus, the present studies were carried out to determine if EO or EP, fed in the rat diet at 2% for 8 weeks, would be efficacious in reversing the deleterious effects of aging on motor and cognitive behavior in 19 mo Fischer 344 rats. Results for the motor testing showed that the EO diet improved performance on wire suspension, while the EP rats turned more on the planks, leading to improved balance performance. Additionally, the EO diet improved reference and working memory in the Morris water maze compared to control, but not the EP, diet. We are currently assessing whether alterations in signaling and autophagy may be involved in the mechanisms of action through which the acai polyphenols could be producing their effects.

 

Thanks for reading,

 

Shawn

 

About the author: Shawn M Talbott is a nutritionist (PhD, Nutritional Biochemistry, Rutgers) and physiologist (MS, Exercise Science, UMass Amherst) who studies how to help people Feel, Look, and Perform Better. He is the author of 10 books and a frequent competitor in Ironman triathlons and ultramarathons – so he drinks his acai juice everyday to keep his brain and body as young as possible.

 

About the Author

Exercise physiologist (MS, UMass Amherst) and Nutritional Biochemist (PhD, Rutgers) who studies how lifestyle influences our biochemistry, psychology and behavior - which kind of makes me a "Psycho-Nutritionist"?!?!

  • Thank Dr. Talbott for all this great info we can use to increase our knowledge and help others! See you in Tulsa tonight!!!

  • {"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

    Solve the 3 Main Sleep Problems
    and Improve Your Sleep Quality
    without Drugs or Synthetic Melatonin

    >