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. Four months, n=63, and every proposed mechanism marker was flat — the inflammatory panel gives the symptom result nothing to stand on.