Researchers investigate berries' protective properties
TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2013 09:05 AM

Berries, like many other fruits, are known to do the body good. Blueberries, for instance, are filled with compounds that scientists believe may prevent certain chronic diseases, according to the Mayo Clinic. As time passes, researchers continue to learn more about the health effects of consuming berries.

In a recent study, researchers from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and Tufts University's Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging set out to learn more about berries' protective properties. The researchers fed rats berries two months before the rodents were exposed to radiation. In this study, the radiation served as a model for accelerated aging.

The researchers found that rats that were on the berry diet experienced "significant protection" against radiation 30 days later. Although these findings relate to rats, the researchers plan to conduct a study involving humans between the ages of 60 and 75.

"We have a lot of animal work that suggests these compounds will protect the aged brain and reverse some behavioral deficits," said Barbara Shukitt-Hale, the lead investigator for the human study. "We are hoping it will translate to human studies as well."

With this research in mind, individuals who consume berries on a regular basis may want to take an IQ test and see what effects they are having on their cognitive abilities.