Effects of a Blueberry Enriched Diet on the Skeletal Muscle Regenerative Process

Summary

One of the greatest challenges faced by older adults is maintaining physical function and strength with aging. Deterioration of skeletal muscle with aging leads to loss of mobility, decreased quality of life, and ultimately loss of independence. Skeletal muscle deterioration with aging is multifactorial, with a key factor being impaired skeletal muscle regeneration following damage. Muscle regeneration is a multistep process that requires a viable population of skeletal muscle specific progenitor cells (MPCs). MPCs reside in the skeletal muscle in a dormant state until activated by stress or injury cues. Upon activation, MPCs divide, commit to the muscle cell lineage, and fuse to form new multinucleated cells or repair damaged muscle cells. In older adults this regenerative process is impaired, which amplifies skeletal muscle deterioration. The investigators demonstrated that the ability of MPCs to divide (proliferate) is reduced, while MPC death is elevated in MPCs from healthy older adults. Further, the investigators have demonstrated that impaired nutrient metabolism, cellular inflammation, and oxidative stress are key mechanisms in this age-related disruption of MPC proliferation and overall skeletal muscle health. Therapies that improve the regenerative process and nutrient metabolism as well as attenuate oxidative stress and inflammation are necessary to improve overall skeletal muscle health of older adults. Blueberries have properties that the investigators hypothesize will improve the proliferative capacity (increase cell division and reduce cell death) of MPCs. Additionally, the investigators hypothesize that consumption of blueberries will improve skeletal muscle regeneration in the aging population via improved nutrient metabolism, attenuated cellular inflammation, and reduction of oxidative stress. The hypotheses will be tested using a dietary blueberry intervention. Serum from our human subjects \[blueberry enriched diet (BED)-serum\] will be collected and used to treat primary human MPCs. Ultimately, the investigators hypothesize that a blueberry enriched diet provides an ideal, natural therapy to improve MPC proliferative capacity, which is necessary to attenuate skeletal muscle deterioration.

Conditions

• Skeletal Muscle Disorder

Interventions

DIETARY_SUPPLEMENT

Blueberry enriched diet

The blueberry intervention will consist of participants ingesting two servings of 19 g freeze dried blueberry powder (equivalent to 250 g whole blueberries) daily for six weeks. Subjects will ingest the freeze dried blueberries orally. Freeze dried blueberry powder will be mixed with 8-10 ounces of water and consumed. Subjects will be asked to rinse the cup to wash any remaining blueberries off of the cup and consume the rinse water. Subjects will be given a two week supply at baseline (week 0) and a four week supply when they return for their blood draw at week 2. Subjects will be asked to return empty packets and check-off daily records as a measure of compliance.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cornell University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

BASIC_SCIENCE

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age

21 Years

Max Age

79 Years

Sex

FEMALE

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2017-09-29

Primary Completion

2019-12-31

Completion

2019-12-31

Countries

• United States

Study Locations