Blueberries Improve Pain, Gait Performance, and Inflammation in Individuals with Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis

Du C, Smith A, Avalos M, South S, Crabtree K, Wang W, Kwon YH, Vijayagopal P, Juma S · Nutrients

WOMAC total and its pain, stiffness and daily-activity sub-scores fell significantly in the blueberry group (p < 0.05); the placebo group improved on some sub-scores but not on WOMAC total or daily activities. Gait was measured on an instrumented walkway and moved too — single-support percentage rose and double-support fell in both limbs (p ≤ 0.007 and p ≤ 0.003). None of the eight plasma inflammatory markers (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-13, MMP-3, MMP-13, MCP-1) changed significantly.

Population

Adults aged 45-79 with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis

Intervention

40 g freeze-dried whole blueberry powder daily for 4 months

Comparator

Placebo powder, double-blind

Limitations

The reported comparisons are within-group changes for each arm rather than a between-group difference on WOMAC, which is the comparison a double-blind design exists to make, and the paper states that blueberry and placebo did not differ at any time point. Fourteen of 63 dropped out. Four months, and every proposed mechanism marker was flat. Funded by the US Highbush Blueberry Council.